News Release from Eaton RESA & Grand Ledge Public Schools
Contact John Ellsworth, Director of Communications for Grand Ledge Public Schools, 517-925-5414, EllsworthJ@GLcomets.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 3, 2023
Eaton RESA & Grand Ledge Public Schools Announce Timeline for Soft Opening and Full Opening of New Health Center
Grand Ledge, MI – Eaton RESA and Grand Ledge Public Schools (GLPS) are excited to announce that the new school-based health center will have a soft opening in January 2024 and be fully open in April 2024.
Eaton RESA took the lead in writing a planning grant with GLPS to begin a school-based health center. It was one of only 26 grants awarded by the state last spring. Eaton RESA and GLPS are happy to have Sparrow Eaton Hospital join the collaboration and provide the services at their new health center. The plan is for the health center to be fully open in the spring of 2024 at Grand Ledge High School, though some services at the site will be available in January.
Sean Williams, Eaton RESA Superintendent, said, “We are proud that Eaton RESA is able to support our local school districts and help open an innovative health center at Grand Ledge High School. We know it will help address the health needs of children and young adults in Eaton County, and we are happy Sparrow Eaton Hospital – a trusted local healthcare provider – will be doing the clinical services and health programs at our new health center.”
The health center will be open year-round, making it easier for children and young adults in Eaton County to access health care – much like having a doctor’s office in your child’s school. The health center will provide primary care, preventative care, comprehensive health assessment, vision and hearing screening, health education, and mental health care. While the clinic is located in Grand Ledge High School and will be utilized primarily by GLPS students, it is important to note that all children and young adults in Eaton County – not just GLPS students – will be accepted, whether they have insurance or not.
GLPS Superintendent Bill Barnes shared, “We are proud to be a part of this partnership between Eaton RESA and Sparrow Eaton Hospital, and excited that we will be able to offer these health services to our GLPS students and to youth in the broader community. We have heard from our students and families that health, and specifically mental health, supports are essential, and we are now better able to respond to our families’ needs because of this incredible opportunity and the work of our community partners.”
The clinic is funded through a grant from The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Grand Ledge Public Schools will be responsible for construction, renovation, and maintenance at the site, while Eaton RESA serves as the fiduciary. Sparrow Eaton Hospital will run the day-to-day operations and hire the necessary staff – including an advanced practice provider and a medical assistant – as well as partner with Eaton RESA to provide a licensed mental health clinician.
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