Judson ISD and University Health Systems entered into an agreement to build a school-based health clinic on the Wagner High School campus to provide health care services for students in the district.

Theresa De La Haya, senior vice president of community health and clinical prevention programs for University Health Systems, said the agreement is meant to be a true partnership. This initiative helps service areas in the community and will be the first clinic in the district, De La Haya said.

“Our arrangement is that we come in and do the operations of the clinic while the school district invests the capital,” De La Haya said.

According to De La Haya, having a school-based clinic helps cover students who have not taken any preventative efforts or do not have health insurance. The team at the clinic will be a mix of internal staff and new employees that live in the area.

Listed services at the clinic include diagnosing and treating minor illnesses or injuries, conducting general physicals or sports physicals, conducting well-child exams, providing and administering immunizations, monitoring chronic conditions, testing and treating sexually transmitted diseases, and more.

The clinic will be available to all students in the school district. Students interested in health care will also have an opportunity to observe the workers at the clinic and view how that career field operates on a day-to-day basis.

School nurses will receive additional training and become a larger part of the clinic. When a child is ill, the school nurses can set up a virtual check-up without having to rush each student to the clinic, according to De La Haya.

“We are really trying to tie a partnership with school nurses,” De La Haya said. “We are totally dependent on them, and they are dependent on us.”

The school-based clinic is estimated to be completed by fall 2022.