Kearsley families,
We have been fortunate to have a University of Michigan Regional Alliance of Health Schools (RAHS) health clinic located at Kearsley High School since 2016. We are thrilled to announce that our partnership with the University of Michigan Health Systems will be expanding as we are moving forward to plans to bring a RAHS clinic to Armstrong Middle School. We currently have a behavioral health clinic at AMS with a full-time UofM social worker. The new clinic, which will be located in the current Room 900 (old home economics room), will include a full medical clinic, behavioral health clinic and also provide space to provide dental and vision services. The renderings below provide a glimpse into what the space will potentially look like:
Renovations to the AMS clinic will begin late this summer or early fall and are expected to be completed before the conclusion of the 2024-25 school year. This partnership is incredibly beneficial to us as the district simply provides the space and covers utility costs while all medical equipment, furniture, and staffing costs are completely supported by Michigan Medicine.
The new AMS health center will provide valuable resources to our students and families that will include but are not limited to:
Immunizations
Physical Exams
Sick Visits
Nutrition Counseling
Health and Fitness Education Programs & Groups
Confidential Mental Health Services and Psychotherapy
Vision Screening and Dental visits
Referrals for Community Resources
Although the RAHS health center will be open to our students, the University of Michigan Health Systems will provide care to all youth 21 years old and younger. Those seeking care do not need to be a registered student at any school-based health center partnering school. The health system will accept insured and uninsured patients, regardless of ability to pay. This partnership aligns with our district’s continued commitment to the health and wellbeing of all youth.
Please know that the University of Michigan Health System team completely understands that safety and security of our schools is extremely important and will remain our top focus. Room 900 has an outside door so that any visitors will only be able to enter the building through the clinic itself and will not have access to the rest of the building.
We already know that our existing RAHS clinic at KHS has proven to be a tremendous asset to our community. One major advantage is to provide care on a level that engages families while providing a strong emphasis on creating and sustaining strong student attendance. When students are present in school on a consistent basis, they are able to take advantage of the caring relationships and outstanding instruction delivered daily by our Kearsley staff.
Thank you for your continued partnership in your child's education.
Sincerely,
Paul Gaudard
Superintendent
Kearsley Community Schools