LAKE CITY — The brand new wellness middle in Lake Metropolis was a decade within the making.
As college employees members, District Well being Division No. 10 officers, and supporters got here for the Lake Metropolis Wellness Heart’s open home and ribbon reducing ceremony Wednesday, there was a way of pleasure amongst these concerned.
“My ideas are certainly one of pleasure for our college students in our neighborhood as a result of it is a fantastic useful resource that we’ve not had the chance to have right here,” former Lake Metropolis Faculties Superintendent Kimberly Blaszak mentioned.
For a couple of decade, Blaszak and District Well being Division No. 10 adolescent well being supervisor Katy Bies have been working to deliver a well being clinic to the Lake Metropolis center and highschool constructing.
It has been an extended look forward to the 2, as Bies mentioned they needed to apply for a grant by means of the Michigan Division of Well being and Human Companies. Sadly, Blaszak mentioned they wanted a grant for Ok-12, which the state hadn’t launched.
Whereas they waited, Bies mentioned Blaszak gathered neighborhood assist and had all the things lined up when a grant alternative introduced itself. In April 2020, that chance lastly got here.
“When the grant alternative grew to become out there in April of 2020, the well being division knew Lake Metropolis Faculties was going to be the primary place we’d apply for funding,” Bies mentioned. “We utilized for the grant, and we discovered we had been awarded funding in August of 2020.”
When she discovered they had been awarded the grant, Bies mentioned she was excited and recalled calling Blaszak to share the information.
“Once we truly discovered we obtained it … I’ll always remember once I known as Kim she was like ‘Oh my gosh, it is a dream come true,’ “ Bies mentioned. “She was actually, actually excited.”
With issues coming collectively, Bies mentioned they started a yearlong means of renovating the middle, which was a library. It was accomplished in July and the employees moved in.
“This suits simply an enormous want for our neighborhood,” Blaszak mentioned. “As a result of in rural areas, you don’t have lots of medical entry. So if we will handle a necessity proper now, throughout the college day, we will get them (college students) again within the classroom.”
With the middle absolutely up and operating, Bies mentioned they see round 10 to 12 sufferers a day, ages 5 by means of 21. With providers starting from main care, bodily exams, and well being teaching programs, Bies mentioned the objective is to assist college students proper in school, quite than them having to overlook a day for a well being care appointment. She additionally mentioned they are going to see college students whether or not they have medical health insurance or not.
“They might simply are available right here throughout the college day,” Bies mentioned. “I believe that was an enormous piece of it for (dad and mom) was simply easy accessibility to care.”
Together with the medical well being providers, the middle additionally affords psychological well being providers too, together with counseling and psychological well being assessments.
“The Wellness Clinic has been one of many lacking items for college kids and households,” present Lake Metropolis superintendent Timothy Hejnal mentioned. “The truth that college students can stroll down the hallway into an workplace and have high quality care is big. It’s going to be superior for our youngsters for years to come back.”
With the middle in full swing, Bies and Blaszak each expressed pleasure and hoped that the middle will assist Lake Metropolis college students and youth throughout Missaukee County.
“My hope is simply that we might help as many households and children that we will,” Bies mentioned.
