Scheurer Health and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services have awarded a grant to Bad Axe Public Schools to expand its Wellness Clinic.
The $200,000 grant will go toward expanding the clinic space, increasing the amount of services offered and hiring new staff.
The new clinic expansion will have an increased focus on mental health services for students. Scheurer Health is currently searching for a licensed social worker to join school nurse Heidi Still in the clinic.
“The goal is to provide the baseline health services needed to teach students about their physical and mental health.” said Clark Ramsey, head of marketing, business development and communications for Scheurer Health.
The grant money will also help the clinic become more accessible by extending services to Bad Axe High School’s campus. Ramsey said the clinic is going to take over the old choir room at the high school, with construction now underway.
Currently, the wellness clinic is based in Bad Axe Elementary, making it a inconvenient location to best serve all Bad Axe students. Expanding into the high school will allow the clinic to provide more point-of-care services that students would see a general practitioner for. The new clinic will also increase on-site testing for COVID-19 and other illnesses.
Although the school year is quickly approaching, Ramsey is confident that the clinic will be up and running by the start of the new academic year.
“We will be rolling for the school year,” Ramsey said. “Now, all the services may not be available, depending on when the social worker comes, but we are on target for the school year.”