ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Teenagers in the Rochester City School District will now be able to get medical care while they’re at school. With the help of UR Medicine, RCSD opened a new school-based health center at James Monroe High School on Friday. 

The health center provides not only medical care but any mental health services that students at Monroe might need.    

UR Medicine’s School of Nursing runs the center.  Nurse practitioners and licensed therapists will work there every day.

“We know that access to health care, can be an obstacle to the true aspects of freedom, justice and equality…many of our families are forced to use urgent care as primary care but not (anymore) at Monroe,” Jason Muhammad, Monroe High School Principal said to a crowd of students, teachers and staff during the ribbon cutting. 

Julieann Falu, a senior at Monroe High School, says she and many her peers are particularly glad to know that there are mental health counselors available whenever they might need one.

“I thought it was amazing to be honest, instead of leaving school early to go to an appointment out of school, it was difficult for me to catch up with my grades so, I’m glad they have a health center here,” Falu told News10NBC.

This is the 9th RCSD school to open a school based health clinic in partnership with our local health systems. The interim superintendent tells News10NBC he’d eventually like to see one inside every city school.

“School is the safest place at many times for our families so, why not ensure that we up the ante and provide the health services here as well,” says Dr. Demario Strickland. He hopes overall, it helps more students be and feel better. “The district is battling chronic absenteeism, a lot of that is because of the anxiety around COVID and the pandemic that’s still lingering and we can actually treat the students right here,” Dr. Strickland said.   Treat them, and then get them back to class.   

RCSD says within the next two years, two more school-based health clinics will open and tele-health medical appointments are currently available in every school.

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