Schools To Have In-House Health Centers

{West Virginia}...Under a pilot program through the West Virginia School-Based Health Assembly program, seven Putnam County schools will have in-house health centers. Penny Fisher, assistant superintendent of pupil services in Putnam County, says county school board members entered into a contract with Valley Health Systems and FamilyCare Health Center to provide the services last spring. Valley Health will provide treatment at Poca High and Lakeside Elementary schools. They hope to eventually expand their services to include Rock Branch Elementary School. Winfield Elementary, Middle and High schools, and George Washington Middle and Elementary schools, will receive care from FamilyCare Health Center. The clinics will provide acute care, regular checkups, mental health services, immunizations and physicals. Fran Coleman, chief of operations at FamilyCare, says clinics in the schools should be operating within 30 days, and consent forms would be distributed to parents within the coming weeks.