Aurora Public Schools will receive a $475,000 federal grant to put permanent health centers on two school campuses, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced today.
The money is part of the national health-care reform measures signed into law by President Obama last year.
The federal law provided $14 million nationally for the expansion of 45 existing school health-center programs in 29 states.
Collectively, those centers treated about 112,000 students last year. The grants are aimed at expanding that number by 53,000 children, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
The money in Aurora will provide modular buildings for on-campus heath centers at two elementary schools, which currently use available classrooms.
A clinic at Crawford Elementary School had 1,300 visits last year, and a clinic at Laredo Elementary School had 500 visits last year.
The new centers will be unaffected by enrollment changes, Mary Beth Rensberger, director of Health Services at Aurora Public School District, said in a media release this afternoon.
“The grant will also allow us to expand our accessibility because we can now continue to provide services during school breaks and holidays,” she stated.
Courtney Law, spokeswoman for Know Your Care Colorado, which provides public education about the federal health act, said, “School-based health centers provide a world of good for students who can’t afford health insurance or primary care doctors’ visits or whose parents may not be able to take them to the doctor in the middle of the day.
“This grant will ensure that Aurora school children can get the health care services they need and deserve.”
