(Pictured above: Lease being signed between Hopewell Health, and officials of the city school)
The Chillicothe City Schools, along with Hopewell Health and Adena Health System have taken a major step toward providing better health treatment for the community, that might not get that help otherwise.
The school district signed a lease agreement with Hopewell Health to operate a medical health clinic inside a portion of the Mount Logan Elementary School in the city's east side.
Mark Bridenbaugh, President and CEO of Hopewell Health says they will provide the daily operation of the health center, with Adena Health System providing construction costs to build the clinic, with the hopes of opening the center by July.
Bridenbaugh says the hope is that those individuals that typically only use the emergency room for health care, will be able to use this Medicaid funded clinic that will get people on the path of having better primary care. He added that they also will have "sliding" health care fees to make it more affordable for those without insurance of any kind.
(Pictured: Aaron Brown, Director of Secondary Education Services)
Adena Health System President and CEO Jeff Graham says their involvement will also assist with educational growth through their residency programming, as they partner with Hopewell at the clinic. Also, social programs through Adena, such as sexual assault services would be available for the clinic and the school.
(Pictured: Chillicothe School Board President Steve Mullins)
Chillicothe School Board President Steve Mullins added that the educators in the district were seeing a greater need for the improved health of many of their students and this clinic will go along way to serving that need to get these students on a better path to good health.
For more in depth comments from Steve Mullins, Mark Bridenbaugh and Jeff Graham, go to each of the podcast links found below....