Children and families in need of health care services will soon be able to access those needs at Denver Public Schools.
DPS announced that they are partnering with Denver Health to bring Mobile Health Clinics to specific schools. The program starts this week. The clinics will initially visit four DPS Community Hub locations: Swansea Elementary, Smith Elementary, John Amesse Elementary and Place Bridge Academy.
The DPS Community Hubs program started in 2022 and provides students and parents with social services specific to the areas' needs, whether that be GED classes, ESL classes for adults, citizenship classes, workforce development, college prep or even basic necessities such as food and clothes.
The program currently exists in five schools and one nonprofit: Place Bridge, Colfax Elementary, John H. Amesse, Smith, and Focus Points Family Resource Center in Elyria-Swansea. Sometimes the program expands into Swansea Elementary.
Community Hubs also runs grocery stores at Place Bridge and Colfax. Now, the program is extending to include health care, an equally large need, especially with the increase in new immigrant students.
The mobile health clinics will provide vaccines, pediatric primary care services and adult acute care.
The expansion of the Community Hub services was made possible through a collaboration with Denver Health Foundation and the Denver Public School Foundation.
"A healthy child is a thriving child and therefore, supporting student well-being is a top priority. Having access to health care ensures that students are able to focus on learning when in the classroom. We are excited about this collaboration with Denver Health Foundation for the health and wellness of our students," said Sara Hazel, the president and CEO of Denver Public Schools Foundation, in a press release.
The next clinic will take place Thursday, Feb. 1, at 10 a.m. at Swansea Elementary School, located at 4650 Columbine St.
