Williams

THOMASVILLE — The school-based health center that opened recently on the Thomas County Middle School campus is expected to deliver tremendous benefits for not only students and schools, but for the entire community.

In a partnership with Primary Care of Southwest Georgia Inc. (PCSG), the school-based health center is a comprehensive primary health care site that provides a wide array of services, Dr. Lisa Williams, associate superintendent of Thomas County Schools, said.

Services include:

• Treatment for illness (strep throat, ear infections, pink eye, influenza, ringworms) or injuries (scrapes, strains and cuts)

• Treatment for chronic conditions, such as diabetes and asthma

• Health checks/biometric screenings/well child checks (including immunizations, hearing and vision screenings)

• Routine school and sports physicals

• Counseling about nutrition and mental health 

• Lab tests and other health-related issues

“One of the main goals for us in providing a school-based health center is to help reach our students where they spend a significant portion of their time, which is in our schools, so they can receive services for which they might not otherwise have access,” Williams said.

Ann Addison, Ph.D., PCSG chief executive officer, said the health care agency’s main goal is to ensure children in the Thomas County School System have access to high-quality, affordable primary care.

“The PCSG Board of Directors, my staff and I are very excited that we have worked collaboratively with Dr. George (Dusty) Kornegay and the Thomas County School System staff to provide primary care to the children of Thomas County,” she said. “By providing high-quality health care on campus, children who may not otherwise have access to care have it readily available. In other parts of Georgia and the nation, the health status of the children in the schools with health centers on site has improved and absenteeism has decreased significantly. Reduced absenteeism has resulted in improved academic performance of students in those schools with health centers.”

The TCMS health clinic saw 301 students between Jan. 12 and Feb. 5. Of those, 57 students tested positive for flu, eight for strep.

“When students are healthy and have access to comprehensive health services, they are in a better position to pay attention in class, retain important information, and ultimately do better in school,” Williams said.

The center is staffed by a board-certified nurse practitioner, Rachael Clark Lackey, a Thomas County Central High School graduate. Lackey and her supervising physician at Primary Care of Southwest Georgia Inc. can diagnose, treat, prescribe, and if needed, administer medication for most common illnesses.

The school-based health center was established to serve all students and staff. The school system provides transportation from other Thomas County schools to the school-based health center for students who need to be seen there. For questions about services provided at the school-based health center or to schedule an appointment for a student, call (229) 227-2936. 

If parents of Thomas County Schools students want to sign their child up to receive services in the school-based health center, they must complete a consent form and health information packet and return it to their child’s school. The forms can be downloaded from the school system website at www.tcjackets.net, or a packet can be obtained from a Thomas County school. 

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820 

National studies report the following benefits resulting from access to primary medical care at schools:

• Increased access to primary and behavioral healthcare services

• Improved response to nutrition education and counseling for students 

• Improved attendance and reduced absenteeism

• Reduction in the number of students sent home because of illness.

• Reduced emergency room visits

• Reduced hospitalization for students with asthma

• Higher grade point averages for students