STAFF REPORT
Hays CISD officials learned last week that the district has been awarded a half-million dollar federal grant to build a much larger and permanent school-based health center.
The new facility will replace a decade-old portable building that currently houses the Hays CISD WELL (Wellness Encouraged through Lifelong Learning) Clinic, which is often the only accessible and affordable source of healthcare for Hays CISD’s estimated 7,500 students who are economically disadvantaged.
“School-based health centers are one of the most effective resources in promoting the health of children, and that leads to a healthier community. These centers are so valuable, and this grant will help us make a great asset even better,” Hays CISD Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Lyon said.
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, who supported the grant application at the federal level, praised Hays CISD’s efforts to win the grant.
“At the time the clinic was founded, Hays County was designated as a ‘medically underserved’ county and the clinic was the only source for primary and secondary health care for many in the Kyle/Buda area. It has served as the medical home for hundreds of families and has served thousands of children in the county. As the Hays County population continues to grow, so do the needs of the WELL Clinic,” Doggett said.
The WELL Clinic currently provides immunizations, physical examinations, sports physicals, diagnosis and treatment of minor illnesses and injuries, case management of chronic illnesses, prescription medications, and health education on nutrition, disease and injury prevention.
The proposed new WELL Clinic facility will accommodate approximately 7,000 patients annually, nearly double the current 3,600 patients who access clinic services each year. Plans call for the new 3,395-square-foot building to include nine exam rooms, a hearing testing room, sick waiting and well waiting areas, a vitals area, a nurses station, offices for providers, and work and storage space.
Hays CISD was one of only seven recipients in Texas of $95 million in grants from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.
