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Stories are a powerful tool to help lawmakers, the media and the public understand the need for affordable, quality health care.
When you share your personal account with the Network you are supporting our efforts to advance policies that will ensure accessible, quality health care for all of Oregon's children.
Please tell us about your center and the children you serve, or share your personal experience as a recipient of health care services at an SBHC.
Stories from Tigard
“Jack” is a twelve year old student with juvenile onset diabetes who came into our school-based health center for care. The child’s family had recently moved to Oregon after losing their business on the east coast.
In order to provide a place for the family to live, the family had split up. The dad moved with Jack to his parents house, while the mother and two other siblings moved in with her sister about 100 miles away. The family had no jobs, no primary care provider, and had not yet applied for the Oregon Health Plan.
To enroll in school, the family needed to provide instructions on how to manage the student’s blood sugar, with documented orders for insulin use at school, and medical back up should he experience blood sugars outside normal parameters. The school-based health center provided an immediate low cost solution to this family’s need to provide care for their diabetic child. Jack was able to have a primary care visit at the health center, orders for use by the school nurse were faxed to the school, the family received a referral to the Resource Center for application assistance for the Oregon Health Plan, and Jack was given referral information for pediatric endocrinology. Health care information regarding diet, hydration, sick day management and exercise were reviewed, and the parent and child were encouraged to continue to manage their health care needs despite trying times.
An offer of mental health services was made to both father and son who were struggling with maintaining family ties while separated and under financial duress.
Jack and his father were grateful for services which allowed Jack to get started in school and stabilize his diabetic care management. The elementary school nurse was happy to have a local referral source for this student’s health care issues.
A mother brought her son into the health center for a concern regarding enlarged lymph glands of several weeks duration. She had no health insurance, and had been off work for two weeks taking care of her mother who died during that time of breast cancer. Mom was worried that her son might have something serious, but had no money to go to an urgent care for treatment.
She was so relieved to find that her son could have lab tests done here at the SBHC, with treatment as well. She was both tearful and grateful, hugging all the staff and thanking us for relieving her worst fears regarding her son’s health concerns.
“Sam” is a ten year old whose mother brought him to our school-based health center after he had unexpectedly lost weight and also began complaining of aching joints. Sam’s family had no health insurance, and the father had been out of work for several months. The family found the health center through the school district nurse.
The school-based health center drew basic labs from Sam, which indicated a serious condition and the need to see a specialist. The center staff helped arrange an appointment with a pediatrician at Virginia Garcia that afternoon. From the Beaverton office, Sam and his parents were sent to Doernbecher for admission and treatment of a life threatening illness. Having readily available, accessible and affordable health care at school may have saved Sam’s life.
The staff also assisted his mother in enrolling in the Oregon Health Plan, ensuring Sam can continue to have consistent, quality care throughout his childhood.