Evanston Township High School’s School-Based Health Center was awarded a grant of $72,826 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Education to make certain capital improvements, including the installation of new plumbing fixtures consistent with current infection control practices, the replacement of badly worn flooring, the replacement of worn waiting room and exam room furniture, and updating old appliances and medical equipment.
The ETHS Health Center is operated as a community partnership between ETHS, NorthShore University HealthSystem and the City of Evanston Health Department. Some funding is provided by the Illinois Department of Human Services. The center strives to provide health services in a caring environment and promote healthy lifestyle practices to ETHS students. The Health Center also attempts to reduce the barriers students encounter in their efforts to access health care.
“ETHS’s school-based health center attends to unmet health-care needs by placing health care where the kids are and when they need it,” said Evanston Health Department Director Evonda Thomas. “The staff supports students by providing a safe place to talk about sensitive issues such as depression, family problems, relationships and substance abuse.”
By identifying and addressing health problems, the health clinic helps students stay in school. “We are proud to be a partner of the school-based health center,” said Ms. Thomas. “They truly have a committed staff that has served this school-based health center for over 15 years.”