Students attending Evans High School could look forward to receiving a range of services including, primary health care, nursing, behavioral health and dental services from the “Evans Wellness Cottage,” a School Based Health Center (SBHC) at the Maynard Evans High School campus, set to become operational at the start of the 2013-2014 school year.
A 2,880 square foot, standalone modular unit, Evans Wellness Cottage will be located in the vicinity of the Evans football field on the Evans Campus and accessible off Pine Hills Road. The facility is expected to have 6 exam rooms, three dental chairs and initially staffed with a nurse practitioner, school nurse and dental hygienist. There are plans too, for an onsite physician, physician’s assistant, nurses, counselors and a patient service representative.
“In partnership with the Children’s Home Society, University of Central Florida, Orange County Public Schools and all of the community partners that have made the Evans Community School such a success, Central Florida Family Health Center is honored to provide primary healthcare, dental, and behavioral health services to the Evans students, their families, linked schools, and the surrounding community,” said Dr. Leslie L. Smith, Central Florida Family Health Center’s CEO/CMO, in a statement.
Noting that teens have a myriad of health care needs, are among the least likely group to seek care, and many lack health insurance or transportation to the doctor, Smith said she expects the on-site services of Evans Wellness Cottage would go a long way in helping to boost attendance rates, academic success, as well as the general well-being of the community.
“The establishment and accessibility of these much-needed health services will ultimately improve student attendance rates and academic achievement, foster economic growth and development within the community, and provide accessible and affordable healthcare that will make a positive impact on the lives of the students and their community for years to come,” she said.
In order for students to receive treatment from a physician, physician’s assistant or family nurse, students must have an Evans Wellness Cottage Enrollment form on file, which will be sent out at the beginning of the school year. Evans Wellness Cottage will be opened Monday through Friday, from 6:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., but this could be expanded, depending on need. No students will be denied needed care due to their inability to pay, according to a statement from Central Florida Family Health Center. However, as in any primary care center, there may be charges depending on the service provided and insurance, Medicaid and other third-party payers will be billed.
