COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The beginning of a new school year yesterday in most of Branch County also brought the start of the fourth year of the school Telehealth program in Coldwater, Bronson, and Quincy.
The Community Health Center of Branch County launched the state program which uses registered nurses and technology to reduce barriers to healthcare by linking youth to health and wellness services while they are at school. The nurses on site at the high schools provide a wide range of services and then if necessary, they tele-link to a physician or nurse practitioner at the CHC Pediatric and Adolescent Clinic.
Terra DePew, the Director of the CHC Foundation, last week gave an update on Telehealth at the Thursday meeting of the Coldwater Township Sunrise Rotary Club. She said this summer, CHC Telehealth received a four year, $1.2 million dollar federal grant. The funding in part will allow the program to hire a social worker to serve Bronson and Quincy. The same position was approved to be added in 2016 at the Coldwater High School clinic.
Statistics show over 40% of the student needs can involve social and emotional health issues, such as anxiety about staying in the classroom, depression, and suicidal thoughts. According to DePew, their findings and evaluation have found that 86% of students in high school have either made a plan to commit suicide or have considered suicide. She said their clinics have clearly identified mental health and coping mechanisms as a primary target.
The Branch County telehealth program currently serves 12 to 21 year olds and has seen over 11,000 students from the county for nursing services alone with up to 4,000 linked to the Pediatric and Adolescent Clinic.
