Hawaii Island Community Health Center Celebrates School-Based Success

Hilo, HI (July 25, 2024) -– Download Press Release (PDF)

Hawaii Island Community Health Center Celebrates School-Based Health Centers Successes

Hawaii Island Community Health Center (HICHC) proudly announced successes at its school-based health centers located across Hawaii Island. These School Based Health Centers located in Hamakua, Puna and Kona have provided vital healthcare services to students by removing barriers to care, thus ensuring their physical and mental well-being throughout the academic year. The Hawaii Island School Based Health Centers were modeled after successful projects nationally and on Oahu.

Achievements and Impacts

Over the past year, Hawaii Island Community Health Center ‘s School Based Health Centers have:

• Served Over 3,000 Students: Offering comprehensive medical, dental, and behavioral health services to students in ages ranging from elementary to high school.
• Improved Health Outcomes: With a focus on preventive care, the School Based Health Centers have successfully assisted in managing chronic conditions, reducing absenteeism due to illness, and promoting overall health and wellness.
• Mental Health Support: Addressed the rising need for mental health services for our youth by providing counseling and therapy to students, helping them navigate challenges including anxiety, depression, and stress.
• Keiki Community Engagement: HICHC provides health education sessions, including early vaping cessation, classroom presentations and even promoting and participating in street soccer and volleyball as an avenue for fostering a culture of health and well-being for students.

“Our school based health centers have made a profound difference in the lives of many students. By bringing healthcare directly to the schools, we remove barriers and ensure that all children have access to the care so they can thrive academically and personally,” said HICHC’s Director of Behavioral Health Dr. Katherine May.

Looking Ahead

Hawaii Island Community Health Center presented data at last year’s Society of Pediatric Psychology Pediatric reflecting that 100% of the kids accepted school based referrals to the clinic’s Pediatric Behavioral Health services but only about half of those with referrals actually showed up at their schedule appointments.

However, with health services now on campus, the barriers that prevented them from their appointments disappear and now nearly 100% of the students referred are  receiving on campus health care services. A true mark indicating the success school based health centers provide.

“There is a non stop flow of kids that come into our school clinics all day long. Every campus, every day, all day,” noted Cecilia Sakata, HICHC Director of School Based Health Centers.

“All parents are busy. It’s interesting to note that 94% of patients seen at our School Based Health Centers were overdue for their annual Well Child Exam.”

There will always be the small percentage of the student population that has trauma and the need for regular behavioral health intervention work, but for the balance of the student population, HICHC school based health centers around the island are doing more preventative work focused around general mental health issues including mental health strengthening and working on developing resilience building skills. The school based teams are catching students in the higher elementary grades, and certainly in the intermediate grades, as they learn to navigate young social issues, helping them develop effective communication skills, identifying healthy coping skills, emotional regulation (identifying emotions and triggers), and boundary setting (knowing their limits to communicate them).

For the upcoming new school year, HICHC School Based Health Center expansion plans including new health centers.

Visit www.HICommunityHealthCenter.org for more information.

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About Hawai’i Island Community Health Center

Hawai’i Island Community Health Center’s mission is to provide quality, comprehensive, and integrated health care services accessible to all, regardless of their ability to pay.

Hawai’i Island Community Health Center is the largest Federally Qualified Health Center in the State of Hawaii, employing approximately 400 health care professionals and support staff, serving 40,000 residents in 14 locations island-wide and with an operating budget of $40+ million.

HICHC Contact:

Emily Crabill, Marketing & Development Manager
ERCrabill@HICommunityHealthCenter.org
808-494-5337