One of Connecticut's largest school districts is opening a health center in one of its schools, placing it among a growing number of school-based clinics in the state and nation. Administrators at New Britain's Smalley Academy will be joined Wednesday by officials from Community Health Center Inc. to open the clinic, which CHC will operate in the elementary school.
Such school-based facilities provide health screenings, immunizations, dental care, care to help children with chronic illnesses stay in school and other services. They're often the primary health provider for students from low-income families who have no other medical care. Community service organizations run dozens of school-based health clinics in several Connecticut schools, and several have received major federal grants this year to boost their services and add equipment.