Gadsden School-Based Health Centers
Since 2006, the FSU College of Medicine has partnered with the Florida Department of Health in Gadsden County and the Gadsden County School District to provide school-based health services to children and adolescents throughout this rural community. With funding support from FSU Dance Marathon, the program supports two full-time nurse practitioners and brings together health professionals and students from multiple disciplines to improve access to care for Gadsden County students.
Through the Gadsden School-Based Health Centers, nurse practitioners work alongside FSU College of Medicine faculty and medical students, as well as FSU doctoral psychology students, to provide health care, behavioral health support, counseling, and preventive services within local schools. Services are provided at Gadsden County High School, George W. Munroe Elementary School, James A. Shanks Middle School, Stewart Street Elementary School, and Carter-Parramore Academy, with additional services provided to other area schools as needed.
The program also helps students participate fully in school and community activities by providing services such as sports pre-participation physical examinations and physical examinations for students participating in Special Olympics. Each year, clinicians provide more than 70 Special Olympics physicals, and FSU College of Medicine second-year medical students join the program’s nurse practitioners during the spring games to provide first aid and support to participating athletes.
Beyond the academic year, the Gadsden School-Based Health Centers collaborate with the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium (PAEC) to provide a Summer School Health Clinic and Education Program. Support from FSU Dance Marathon also helps provide essential resources for children and families, including assistance with summer child care, eyeglasses, medications, and other health-related needs.
For FSU students, the program provides valuable opportunities to learn within a rural, community-based, interprofessional health care environment. Students gain firsthand experience working alongside professionals from multiple disciplines while developing a deeper understanding of the health and social factors affecting children and families in underserved communities.
The impact of the program extends throughout Gadsden County. Through preventive care, chronic disease management, behavioral health assessment, health education, and services addressing social determinants of health, the School-Based Health Centers help reduce barriers to care and improve the health and well-being of school-aged children. Collectively, the centers serve a population of more than 5,000 children and have historically provided approximately 600 to 800 patient visits each month.
Through this longstanding partnership, the Gadsden School-Based Health Centers advance the College of Medicine’s mission by improving access to care for rural and underserved populations while preparing future health professionals to understand and address the needs of the communities they serve.
