The King
Student Health Center
The King Student Health Center is a multi-service
clinic that has been established as a partnership between Portland’s Health
& Human Services Department - Public Health Division, Portland Public
Schools, Maine Medical Center and
Community Counseling Center to provide more accessible physical, dental and
mental health care to Portland’s children.
The goal is to keep students healthy and in school. If your child already has a
regular doctor, dentist or mental health provider, he/she can still utilize
Student Health Center services.
When there is a regular provider involved with a child’s care, the work
of the Student Health Center is to supplement and complement the services of
these core providers and communicate with them on an on-going basis as
appropriate.
Eligibility
Any King Middle School student with
a completed and parent-signed enrollment form on file (see attached) may use
the services of the Student Health Center throughout the current school
year. We will allow one initial visit
to the Health Center with a verbal consent from the parent, but thereafter, a
signed consent is required before a student can continue to access services.
In
most cases, students are first seen by the school nurse or social worker and
referred on to the Student Health Center services as appropriate with a pass
that releases them from class. Services are offered by
appointment, but often same-day slots can be accommodated for students with
acute care needs. All students are
entitled to unlimited use of the Health Center throughout the school year.
A
few of the services offered at the Student Health Center are listed below.
·
Treatment
of acute illness or minor injury (sore throats, brochitis, muscle strain, etc.)
·
Management
of chronic health conditions (acne, asthma, allergies, etc.)
·
Testing
and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases
·
Physical
exams
·
Immunizations
·
Preventive
dental services (screening, cleaning, fluoride, sealants, etc.; not restorative
treatment)
·
Psychiatric
evaluations and follow-up
The Student Health Center staff
consists of a pediatrician, nurse practitioner, dental hygienist, oral health
care manager and two clinic assistants.
Community Counseling Center offers psychiatric evaluations and follow-up
provided by a psychiatric nurse practitioner.
Counseling services are available at the school through a separate
agency, but this service is not part of the Student Health Center. The school nurse and social workers are not employees
of the Student Health Center, but work closely with them as team members to
coordinate student referrals into the clinic and assist with follow-up as
needed.
The Student Health Center invites
parents to be an integral part of a student’s health care plan. Parents are welcome to call or make an
appointment to come in to the Student Health Center anytime during the school
year with questions or concerns about their child’s health or accompany them to
a Health Center visit as appropriate.
Staff will make every effort to inform parents about their child’s
diagnosis and treatment when appropriate.
(See back)
When able, we will be billing most
private insurances as well as MaineCare/Medicaid. Currently, there are no co-pay fees, but families may be billed
for Student Health Center services not covered by their insurance.
Additionally, the cost of services provided outside the Student Health Center,
such as prescriptions, lab work or diagnostic tests, are the responsibility of
the student’s family. For those
families who do not have health insurance for their child, the Student Health
Center staff can assist with making an application for MaineCare coverage. No
student will be denied services due to lack of insurance coverage or inability
to pay.
Cost for
Dental Health Services
When able, we will be billing
MaineCare/Medicaid for dental services, but are currently unable to bill
private insurance. If students have
private insurance or are uninsured, there currently is no fee. In the future, we hope to be able to bill
privately insured students if/when this opportunity arises. The cost of any
dental treatment services provided outside the Student Health center such as
x-rays, fillings, extractions and other restorative care, are the
responsibility of the student’s family.
Once again, no student will be
denied services due to lack of insurance coverage or inability to pay.
Cost for
Mental Health Services
Community Counseling Center will be billing
for both privately insured students and those who have MaineCare/Medicaid
coverage. There may be co-pays
associated with the delivery of these services. A sliding fee scale may be used for students who lack health
insurance coverage. Once again, no student will be denied
services due to lack of insurance coverage or inability to pay. Counseling services provided by the
separate counseling agency at King Middle, are not part of the Student Health
Center. Billing and fee arrangements
would therefore be separate from Community Counseling Center.
By law, all medical, dental and
mental health information kept in any student’s clinic health record is
confidential and will remain locked at the Health Center site. No records or information will be released
from the Student Health Center without written consent from the parent or legal
guardian. The law also allows students
to seek services for issues related to reproductive health, mental health or
substance abuse without requiring parental notification. Whenever possible, students are encouraged
to share their health concerns and treatment information with their parents.
The Student Health Center is open Monday,
Wednesday and Thursday during the school week.
The hours of operation vary depending on the type of service being
offered. During weekends, school
vacations and holidays, the Student Health Center will be closed. We encourage
you to contact your child’s regular doctor or health care provider if a health
need arises during those times.
Listed below are phone numbers to
call for further information about the King Student Health Center and how to
enroll.
·
Portland
Public Health Division 874-8784
·
King
Student Health Center 756-8499
·
Laura
McNeill, school nurse 874-8140
·
Chip
Cain & Eleanor Mavadones, school social workers 874-8140