For San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County, it feels like it’s Christmas in July. Community Health Centers of the Central Coast (CHC) was awarded a $500,000 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, included in the Affordable Care Act.
This money will benefit the expansion of school-based health care services for uninsured or low-income children in both counties, expanding the reach of the CHC from seven schools to 12 and providing medical services to children in four school districts.
The CHC provides low-cost preventative health and dental care to children who otherwise might not receive the attention they need.
“We know that if kids aren’t healthy, then kids can’t learn,” Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a press release. “These grants will make it a lot easier for working moms and dads to help get their children the health care they need and deserve. This unprecedented investment in school-based health care will bring communities closer together and help children succeed in the classroom.”
The grant will allow for the purchase of two new, fully equipped mobile vans, one for primary care and the other for pediatric dental services.
This comes as a victory for Congresswoman Lois Capps, who announced CHC as the grant recipient.
“As a public health nurse who worked in the Santa Barbara school system for 20 years, I know that school-based health centers are often the sole source of primary health care for our children,” Capps said in a press release. “Our school kids need access to the care school-based health centers provide, and they need it now to keep them healthy and to help make sure they are ready to learn. Expanding the number and reach of these centers is a clear win for our children.”
School Scene is compiled by Intern Malory Ensor. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Jul 21-28, 2011.
