In an effort to promote quality of life through greater access to healthcare and mental health supports, Monroe Public Schools has received a $100,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Monroe to establish a school-based tele-health program in partnership with ProMedica. The initiative would create a tele-health clinic at Arborwood Elementary Campus’ south building, which would pilot the program that the partnership hopes to grow thorough the district and the community. 

“This is an incredible opportunity to revolutionize school health care and expand access to supports to our students,” Monroe Public Schools Superintendent Julie Everly said. “Our families will be able to engage with health services in a way they never could before and it can happen right at school! The benefits for our students’ academic and behavioral wellbeing will be truly remarkable thanks to our partnership with ProMedica.”

“Through our $100,000 grant, the largest in our history, the Arborwood Elementary Tele-health Clinic with ProMedica means those students get additional access to health services,” said Community Foundation of Monroe County Executive Director Kathleen Russeau. “We at The Community Foundation of Monroe are excited to be able to help create this opportunity for students in our community.”

The clinic created through this partnership that also includes the Monroe County Intermediate School District and the Monroe Health Department will provide early identification and treatment of acute and chronic physical and mental health conditions. The program hopes to target chronic absenteeism by assisting students who may not come to school due to physical health conditions such as colds, flu, asthma, obesity, and diabetes, as well as students who may struggle with mental health concerns. 

“As an anchor institution in the community, we’re always striving to find ways to address the health needs of the people who work, live and play here,” says Dan Schwanke, president of ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital. “This partnership allows us to meet the needs of students at Arborwood Elementary who otherwise may not get the necessary health care throughout the school year.” 

The grant, received through the Community Foundation’s Monroe Health Plan Endowment, plans to see a five percent decrease in chronic absenteeism at Arborwood Elementary while also promoting a five percent increase in reading and math achievement scores in the first year. Principal Steve Pollzzie said he is excited for the possibilities this brings to his students. 

“This partnership will be very important to our students and families because it will reduce a lot of the barriers that exist for families to get their children to see a doctor,” he said. “I am excited for the students and families that will have access to these great services, which will result in minimal loss of learning and greatly reduced absences.” 

A tele-health clinic, staffed by an on-sight BSN clinic coordinator and nurse provider, would be created at Arborwood South. Students would be able to be seen by ProMedica providers through the tele-health services while in school. 

Monroe Public Schools is committed to fostering partnerships with the Monroe community and is enthusiastic about the prospects the Arborwood tele-health clinic will bring to students and families. This collaboration with ProMedica, as well as MCISD, the Community Foundation of Monroe, and the Monroe Health Department, will be a great point of pride for the district’s community engagement initiatives, bringing healthcare directly to the students who may need it most.