[Sparta, NC] – On March 21st, the Trojan Health Center, a school-based health center located at Sparta School, celebrated its official grand opening with a ribbon cutting and tour of the facility.
The grand opening ceremony began with a welcome from Jennifer Greene, Health Director/CEO of AppHealthCare, followed by remarks from local, state, and federal representatives:
- Andrew Krivsky – District Director for U.S. Congresswoman Virginia Foxx’s office,
- Missey Weaver – Alleghany County Schools Superintendent,
- Dr. Gerald Miller – Principal of Sparta School, and
- Brendan Riley – Vice President, Government Relations and External Affairs with the North Carolina Community Health Center Association.
Dr. Gerald Miller, Principal of Sparta School said, “Our hearts are full and our burdens are lighter with the addition of the Trojan Health Center to our school. We have also added a good neighbor to our school with the addition of the AppHealthCare Trojan Health Center, its employees and student services. With the ribbon cutting ceremony, we will soon realize our community’s vision for a brighter and healthier future for the children of Alleghany County.”
Following remarks, an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and facility tour took place.
The Trojan Health Center has been operating in a limited capacity for about a year but has recently undergone renovations to transform the space into a fully functional clinic space, offering increased healthcare access. The Trojan Health Center has two exam rooms, one behavioral health space, a lab, and office space and is staffed by a Family Nurse Practitioner, bilingual Registered Nurse, Behavioral Health Consultant, and Medical Office Assistant.
The Trojan Health Center provides comprehensive, coordinated healthcare at school – a trusted place where students spend a lot of their time. Its services are available for all Alleghany County Schools students, staff, and immediate family members. Services include behavioral health, well-child visits, sick visits, and sports physicals – with parental consent. Every student is eligible for care regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.
School based health centers (SBHCs) have been around for over 30 years and in North Carolina there are over 90 SBHCs in operation that serve over 30,000 students. According to the North Carolina School Based Health Alliance, “evidence shows SBHCs increase adolescent access to healthcare, reduce health and educational disparities, increase graduation rates, boost academic success and reduce healthcare costs.”
The Trojan Health Center School Based Health Center (SBHC) Advisory Committee guides the strategic direction and measures the impact the health center is having within the community. The committee has representatives from the school system, AppHealthCare, community organizations, and local citizens. The school based health center is funded by a Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) grant awarded to AppHealthCare.
“We have many years of experience operating the Top Dog Clinic, a school based health center, at the Ashe Middle School and look forward to applying what we have learned over the years to the Trojan Health Center. Students spend a lot of their time at school so school based health centers are able to provide needed care right where students are. This keeps children in school and learning. We are grateful to Alleghany County Schools and the Alleghany County Board of Education for partnering with us to provide this service for Alleghany County,” stated Jennifer Greene, Health Director/CEO, AppHealthCare.
For additional information about AppHealthCare or other community resources and health related data, please call AppHealthCare at (828) 795-1970 or visit www.AppHealthCare.com and follow them on Twitter and Facebook.
For additional information about Alleghany County Schools, visit their website or call (336) 372-4345.
###
