SPOKANE, Wash. – Some high schools in Spokane are introducing a new approach to student health care. In partnership with CHAS Health, fully functional doctor’s offices are now being established on school grounds.
The latest clinic has opened at Ferris High School. This initiative is funded by a one-time emergency fund provided to the district during COVID. Spokane Public Schools district leaders say this is where the idea for in-school clinics originated.
Dr. Yvette Rosser, one of the pediatricians at the Ferris CHAS Health Clinic, highlighted the convenience for students. “You don’t have to wait once a year to see your pediatrician. You can just come down the hall,” she said.
The clinic is situated where the teachers’ lounge once was, offering services like regular checkups, sick visits, sports physicals and mental health support. Rosser emphasized, “Whether you’re feeling sick or, you need to get a sports physical so you can play volleyball. It just makes it really easy,” she said.
The goal is to provide quick and necessary care to students. Daniel Trautvetter, CHAS’s school-based health program manager, recounted a recent incident where a student with a sports injury was treated efficiently. “And so, we had the student come in, did a couple stitches, and they went home. But we were able to take care of it within, you know, 30 minutes,” he said.
Providers at the clinic stress the benefit to lower-income students who might not receive this level of care otherwise. Parents who can’t leave work can rest assured their children have access to medical care.
City leaders like Zack Zappone, who attended the clinic opening, showed support for the initiative. As a teacher, Zappone has seen many low-income students go without necessary care. “A lot of times we have students come in that have felt sick for a long time, and they don’t know why,” he said.
District leaders noted that around 5% of the student population is homeless or unstably housed. They emphasize that financial barriers should not prevent students from accessing regular care. “Because they’ve never had access to medical services. So, we’re able to kind of provide that survey. So let’s dig a little deeper and see what’s going on. See if we can address those concerns,” they said.
This is the fourth high school in the district to open a CHAS clinic. The clinics operate from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and after 2:30 p.m., all students in the district have access to the health care centers.
“So, we’re here to take care of as many kids as possible in the district,” said a school official.
District leaders report that the clinics have improved attendance rates, as good health contributes to better classroom performance. “It’s a wonderful way to deliver medicine to some of those patients who might not otherwise be able to access it,” they said.
