Ensuring that our children have access to quality health care is just as important as providing an excellent education. While many kids have insurance coverage, many do not have access to decent facilities or the resources to get to a doctor's office. Wouldn't it be great if we could bring decent medical care to our kids instead of forcing them to travel to a facility?
I have been studying the concept of community schools. This approach takes a holistic approach to caring for children, and ensures that additional services of benefit to our kids are provided at their schools. Health care is one of those services that every child needs to have as part of their upbringing. If DC public schools provided adequate health care, like a physician assistant on site, for example, the quality of care our students receive could increase dramatically. Parents would no longer have the stress of figuring out how to get their kids to the doctor--and how to pay for those visits-- and increased regular check-ups would prevent escalating illness and the use of hospital emergency rooms for non-emergencies.
While I have not yet done the cost-benefit numbers, I think we can take existing funds from Medicaid, the Department of Health and from other sources to fund school-based health care. In the long run, it would not only save us money, but would provide a much-needed service for our children and families in desperate need of accessible, affordable, quality care. What do you think about this idea? I would really like some feedback.
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It is important for there to be affordable and accessible health care for students. There are some grants that allow partnerships between Dental Schools and schools. I am not sure about other grants but I am currently doing some research on the subject. Also, by providing accessible medical services and taking care of the health needs of students, the parents, students and schools will be able to focus on the academic dreams of the students and help them reach their full potential without the added stress of trying to find affordable, accessible and much needed health care.
I recently saw Sick-o and think that Michael Moore poses a few great questions as to why in the hell our country is one of the poorest in terms of health coverage.
(I'm writing from the local desk at thenewsroom.com and thought you might be interested that a lot of local bloggers have been getting some really great content from us)
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