The Michigan departments of Community Health and Education today announced 17 new awards for school-based and school-linked health centers. The expansion of the Child and Adolescent Health Center (CAHC) Program includes nine newly funded planning grants and nine newly funded clinical centers effective April 1, 2009.

These sites, located throughout Michigan, will provide on-site primary health care, psycho-social services, health promotion/disease prevention, education and referral services for medically underserved children and ages 5-21. These additional awards serve to strengthen and grow a successful program, which currently has 57 state funded sites throughout Michigan.

"These grants are critical to the school-based and school-linked centers in these various communities," said Janet Olszewski, director for the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH). "It is important that we continue to provide needed access to health care for our underserved Michigan students who otherwise would have a difficult time receiving medical treatment."

Communities awarded a $50,000 Planning grant include:

1. Detroit Edison Public School Academy

2. District Health Department #10-Cadillac Area Schools

3. Eastern UP ISD-Tahquahmenon Area Schools

4. Grand Traverse Co. Health Dept.-Kingsley Area Schools

5. Hackley Community Care-Muskegon County

6. Northwest Michigan Comm. Health Agency-Pellston Public School District

7. Portage Health-Houghton County 8. Spectrum Hospital-Lakeview Community Schools

9. South Redford School District Planning grant recipients will convene their community partners to explore the feasibility of implementing a full CAHC in their school district.

Communities awarded a $175,000 Clinical grant or $125,000 Alternative Clinical grant include:

1. Baldwin Family Health Care-White Cloud Public Schools

2. Calhoun County Health Dept.-Springfield Middle School (Alternative Clinical)

3. Mid-Michigan Health Services-Gerrish Higgins School District (Alternative Clinical)

4. Mid-Michigan Health Services-Houghton Lake Community Schools

5. St. John Health Systems-Cooley High School in Detroit

6. St. John Health Systems-Highland Park

7. Thunder Bay Community Health Services, Inc.-Onaway Area Community Schools

8. University of Michigan-East Middle School (Alternative Clinical)

9. University of Michigan-Willow Run Public Schools

Clinical and Alternative Clinical grant recipients will provide full service primary care for medically underserved children and adolescents in their schools and surrounding schools. The health centers are staffed by a Nurse Practitioner, Physician's Assistant and/or Physician at least 30 hours for Clinical centers, 24 hours for Alternative Clinical centers.

All centers participate in Medicaid outreach and enrollment. Other services may include mental health, screening, health education, and group sessions.

"Healthy students achieve at higher levels," said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan. "These child and adolescent health centers provide health care services and hope for students to get past their health challenges and focus on education."

For more information on the Child and Adolescent Health Program please contact Taggert Doll, Michigan Department of Community Health at (517) 335-9720 or dollt@michigan.gov.