Huntington Local Schools to Host New School-Based Clinic as Part of Region-Wide Expansion of School-Based Health Services

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Funded in part by the Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative, the clinic aims to remove healthcare barriers by delivering primary and preventive care directly to students.

In Plain English: The Clinical Takeaway

• School-based health centers integrate primary care, acute sick visits, and chronic disease management directly into the educational environment, significantly reducing student absenteeism.
• Parental consent is strictly required before any diagnostic testing, immunization, or treatment is administered on school grounds.
• Insurance billing operates identically to standard outpatient primary care visits, with financial assistance navigators available for families experiencing coverage gaps.

Expanding Health Equity Across Appalachian School Districts

According to Kathi Edrington, Adena chief operating officer, bringing care directly into academic environments helps children stay healthy and focused in class while cutting down on missed work hours for parents. This initiative builds on a 20-year history of school partnerships that originally began with athletic training services and now covers over 25,000 students across 12 districts.

Photo: adena.org

The operational framework relies heavily on multi-agency collaboration. The recent expansion was made possible by a 2024 grant awarded by the Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative, prepared by Nationwide Children’s Hospital on behalf of the Appalachian Children Coalition. Randy Leite, executive director of the Appalachian Children Coalition, emphasized that bringing care directly to the population transforms regional health delivery. When a student can walk down the hall for medical evaluation and return quickly to the classroom, academic disruption is minimized.

Clinical Scope and Preventive Infrastructure

School-based clinics function as fully functional outpatient extensions of regional health systems. The Huntington facility, much like its counterpart at the Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center (PRCTC), is equipped to handle a comprehensive spectrum of pediatric and adolescent healthcare needs.

Photo: adena.org

Service Category	Clinical Application	Public Health Objective
Acute & Primary Care	Treatment of minor injuries, upper respiratory infections, and routine wellness physicals.	Mitigate acute morbidity and prevent minor conditions from missing instructional time.
Chronic Disease Management	Ongoing clinical oversight for asthma, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and severe allergies.	Reduce emergency department utilization and stabilize daily metabolic control.
Preventive Services	Administration of mandated immunizations and routine adolescent screenings.	Maintain herd immunity thresholds and intercept developmental deficits early.

Dan Riddle, director of special programs for Huntington Local Schools, noted that extensive community surveys and staff assessments helped tailor the services to the specific medical needs of local families.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.