Connect Health + Wellness, PATHS will open centers at Laurel Park Middle School and Albert Harris Elementary School
Martinsville, Va. — Two local medical centers are expanding their footprints to provide integrated medical care at schools in Martinsville and Henry County.
The Harvest Foundation invested $2,637,074 with Connect Health + Wellness and $3,749,352 at PATHS (Piedmont Access to Health Services, Inc.) to create school-based health centers at Laurel Park Middle School and Albert Harris Elementary School.
School-based health centers are healthcare facilities located directly within or adjacent to schools, offering an environment where students and teachers can access critical medical services without having to leave the school campus. Parent and/or guardian permission is required for students to receive access to care. The centers are expected to eventually expand, offering services for area community members.
“I’m thrilled to have two school-based health centers (SBHCs) that will serve students and staff while also expanding access to the community and other schools,” said Dr. Sandy Strayer, program officer at The Harvest Foundation. “These centers will create lasting, positive impacts for our children, schools, and community. By increasing access to healthcare, especially for underserved students, SBHCs will improve student health and attendance, foster lifelong habits of preventive care and effective healthcare navigation, and support academic success by reducing health-related absences.”
This initiative follows more than a year and a half of collaborative research from Connect Health + Wellness, PATHS, Henry County Public Schools, Martinsville City Public Schools, and the National School-Based Health Alliance. The project team studied the proven impacts of SBHCs, placing them at geographic sites that would maximize local impact.
Laurel Park Middle School serves around 800 students and sees a large volume of healthcare requests, averaging around 575 nurse visits per month. The center at Laurel Park is expected to provide a variety of services, including but not limited to sports physicals, immunizations, sick visits, and well-child visits.
Connect Health + Wellness CEO Marcus Stone said, “We are deeply grateful to The Harvest Foundation for this transformative investment in our community, and to Henry County Public Schools for their shared commitment to students’ well-being and healthier futures. By establishing a permanent school-based health center at Laurel Park Middle School, we are ensuring that students and staff can see a medical provider without leaving school, removing barriers to care and supporting both their health and academic success.”
Officials with Henry County Public Schools (HCPS) and Connect Health + Wellness are working to install a modern, manufactured modular medical center, with HCPS providing crucial services including site preparation, utility connections, fencing, and security integrations.
Dr. Amy Blake-Lewis, superintendent of HCPS, said, “We are incredibly grateful for the partnership with The Harvest Foundation and Connect Health + Wellness in bringing the School-Based Health Center to Laurel Park Middle School. This resource will provide meaningful support for the health and well-being of both our students and staff. We are excited about the impact this will have and look forward to expanding this work to additional schools in the near future.”
Albert Harris Elementary School serves more than 400 students, with an average of 300 student visits to the school nurse each month. This facility will be an addition to the school, with construction expected to take approximately eight to 12 months.
MCPS Superintendent Dr. Zeb Talley said, “I am excited about this program that will strengthen our community and enable our students, families, and staff to live healthier lives. This is a great opportunity for our community. The Martinsville City Public Schools division is very proud to be a part of this endeavor.”
Operations will ramp up steadily at the school, according to Marsha Mendenhall, CEO of PATHS. A full-time community health worker will serve as an outreach coordinator, spending a year conducting community events and driving outreach to build long-term support for the center. Full clinical operations are expected in the second year with a robust medical staff.
“We are very excited to provide this opportunity for MCPS to have a school-based health center that can serve all the children and families in the area, greatly expanding the services students can get right on school grounds,” Mendenhall said. “We’re in the process of hiring the person we want to get started on outreach and getting the word out about the new center.”
SBHCs are designed to maximize instructional time, boost overall school attendance and performance, and eliminate certain barriers to healthcare, such as transportation and work schedule conflicts.
Find out more about Connect Health + Wellness at connecthealthva.org. Visit pathsinc.org to learn more about PATHS. Follow Harvest on social media or visit theharvestfoundation.org for additional information and updates on this project.