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Vail Valley elementary school to get health center

VAIL VALLEY – In January, Eagle County Schools was awarded a $20,000 grant from the Colorado Health Foundation to plan for a “school-based health center” at Avon Elementary School.

School-based health centers provide preventive and primary care in order to keep students healthy and in school. They are staffed by medical and behavioral health specialists, and sometimes dental hygienists.

In general, services include wellness exams, immunizations, diagnosis and treatment of illness or injury, management of chronic conditions, behavioral health assessment and treatment, substance abuse counseling, and health education and prevention programs. Dental services include screening, cleaning and sealants. All programs are designed to identify health issues early.



“We are fortunate to have a planning grant that allows us the opportunity to visit school-based health centers and work with a committee to develop the model that is right for Eagle County,” says Jeanne McQueeney, school board vice President and member of the School-Based Health Clinic Advisory Group. “Each of the school-based health centers is different based on the goals and populations being served.”

An advisory group from Eagle County schools that includes district officials, local health-care providers, parents and students have been planning for the clinic in Avon while visiting clinics at other schools in Colorado.

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“Having seen these sites working in schools has made me envision the wonderful opportunities we would have for children in our community with a clinic at Avon Elementary School,” Avon Elementary School Principal Melisa Rewold-Thuon says.

For more information on the school-based health clinic planning grant, contact Holly Woods at holly.woods@eagleschools.net or 970-328-2755.


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