Portland Public Schools School-Based Health Centers Provide Access To Health Care And Prevention

Press release from Portland Public Schools:

October 29, 2020

Dear PPS Families,

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant decline in children accessing preventative medical services such as vaccines and well child checks. We’re happy to announce that we have re-opened two of PPS’ school-based health centers to provide access to medical services for students while the district continues to hold classes remotely. School-based health centers offer quality, affordable health care by doctors and Family Nurse Practitioners for children and youth with no out of pocket cost.

The opening of the Benson Wellness Center will join the Roosevelt Student Health Center as the second school-based health center to re-open in PPS. These centers provide students an additional option to access health care aside from their primary care provider and serve students who don’t have access to health care.

Benson Wellness
Center

● Where: Benson
Polytechnic High School, 546 NE 12th

● Serves:
All PPS students ages 7 to 21

● Partners:
Oregon Health Services University, Multnomah County, Multnomah Education Service District

● Services:
Regular check-up, sports physical, primary care, immunizations, injury evaluation, mental health and substance use evaluation and treatment, sexual health, other medical questions. The center does not offer COVID-19 testing, but can refer patients to testing sites sponsored by OHSU or Multnomah County.

● If you need care:
Call 503-494-8505 to register for first-time patients; call 503-418-0409 to make an appointment, in-person or virtual. Please note that face masks are required during appointments.

Roosevelt Student
Health Center

● Where:
Roosevelt High School, 6941 N Central St.

● Serves:
All K-12 youth that live in Multnomah County

● Provider: Multnomah County

● Services:
Check-ups, sports physical, immunizations, illness or injury, flu shots, COVID-19 testing, reproductive health, prescriptions, lab tests, counseling.

● If you need care:
Call 503-988-3909 to schedule an appointment (in-person or virtual)

● Other options:
Any PPS student can utilize, at no cost, the Multnomah County Student Health Centers at David Douglas High School (call 503-988-3554) and Parkrose High School (503-988-3392), including COVID-19 testing. More information is available at the Multnomah County Student Health Center website.

Also, we’d like to remind families that medical insurance is available at no cost to any youth 18 or younger, regardless of immigration status, through the Oregon Health Plan. Please see the OHP flyer for more information.

If you have any questions about student health services, feel free to contact Leti Ayala, PPS Health Services Coordinator, at layalaguillen@pps.net.

This press release was produced by Portland Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.