Beaverton, Ore.—The morning of December 5th proved to be a very unique day at Beaverton High School. The campus saw a gathering of students, school officials, health care providers and elected officials, all celebrating one single achievement: the opening of the Beaverton School-Based Health Center (SBHC).
The Beaverton SBHC will initially provide primary care and mental health care to Beaverton High School, later expanding to serve the entire Beaverton School District. The goal of the SBHC is to keep students healthy and ready to learn. SBHCs exist to serve our youth where it is easiest to reach them—in school!
The Beaverton SBHC will have an interdisciplinary team, operated by Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, including primary care and mental health services, with dental services being added later in the school year. The Beaverton SBHC will seek to provide preventive care for students as well as resources and health education.
According to Virginia Garcia CEO, Gil Muñoz, the opening of the clinic took many dedicated partners to see the project to fruition, “It was through the commitment of a number of individuals and organizations who are dedicated to the youth of our community, that we are able to see this clinic open. And the opening of the clinic means that we will have a new entry point for students to get access to health care.”
The ribbon cutting attracted nearly 100 guests to celebrate the opening of the clinic. Leading up to the opening, students from Beaverton High School took on leadership of consulting on the design of the clinics and promoting it to their peers. As their principal Anne Erwin shared, “Students are a part of every major decision that happens at this school. We trust them to be an integral part of the choices made that affect them, and they always rise to the challenge. The students make this school successful, and they will make this clinic successful.”
Echoing the sentiment of the focus on partnerships and the successes of the students, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, who spoke at the celebration, said, “The new Virginia Garcia clinic at Beaverton High School will provide students with convenient access to physical and mental health care. It’s a great addition to the campus and will strengthen the surrounding community,” Congresswoman Bonamici said. “School-based health clinics help students stay healthy and stay in school. Thank you to all of the public and private partners who made this clinic a reality. "
The SBHC is not seeing patients yet, but it is open for students, parents and teachers to visit and meet the staff. Patient services will begin in the next few weeks.
Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center provides high quality, comprehensive and culturally appropriate primary health care with a special emphasis on those with barriers to receiving health care. Since its founding over 39 years ago, Virginia Garcia has grown from a grassroots volunteer-run clinic into a full service health care home serving Washington and Yamhill Counties. Today, Virginia Garcia employs over 450 people, has a budget of more than $30 million, and serves nearly 38,000 patients at five primary care clinics, five dental clinics, five school-based health centers and a mobile outreach clinic.
Visit www.virginiagarcia.org for more information on the Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center.
