MILWAUKEE — Last fall, Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers and Milwaukee Public Schools opened a health clinic inside of South Division High School. It's one of the largest bilingual high schools in Wisconsin.
SSCHC’s clinic provides services for students and staff regardless of their family’s insurance or financial status. Currently, 86% of Sixteenth Street’s patients are Hispanic and approximately 50% of their patient base is under 18 years old.
The new health clinic is Sixteenth Street’s first inside an MPS building and one of 24 in-school clinic locations in Milwaukee and Waukesha.
While students are in schools learning, it only takes them a quick walk down the hall to get the care that they need. Holly Helm is a nurse practitioner and works at the clinic. She sees dozens of students for routine checkups and more.
“They don’t have to miss school to come to the doctor,” said Helm.
The clinic is meeting the needs of the students and teachers by offering easy-access and bilingual health care services.
“Many of the parents in our community are full-time working parents,” said Helm. “They would normally not be able to take their child to the doctor or clinic because they can’t get off work, or there’s transportation barriers or other barriers to their access to care.”
The district is educating more than 68,000 students this year, 75% of which are considered economically disadvantaged. The health clinic at SDHS will be a way for families to get easy access to medical services throughout the school year.
Along with its 24 in-school clinic locations, SSCHC provides medical care, behavioral health care, dental care, physical therapy, and substance abuse treatment in Milwaukee and Waukesha. SSCHC also offers support programs for families, social services and HIV care.
Clinic Manager of Schools, Jorge Mayorga, said providing this kind of access to students helps them beyond just health.
“Health is a critical component to their success in schools,” said Mayorga. “This partnership really highlights the educational and health needs of the students so they can succeed academically.”
Since the clinic opened in October, Mayorga said it has been fulfilling its mission.
“The goal of the program has really been to increase access and utilization of health services for students in our community,” he said.
Helm said she looks forward to working with students and families each day. She said she’s grateful for the chance to help better the overall health of so many in the community.