Marion Schools, EAFHC partner to open on-campus health center

Marion Schools, EAFHC partner to open on-campus health center

Facility will serve students, teachers in the new school year

news@theeveningtimes.com

The Marion School district stepped out on the leading edge of student health services and cut the ribbon at its new School Based Health Center in conjunction with the East Arkansas Family Health Center. The center was named in honor of Jana Blackford.

Marion School District Superintendent Dr. Glen Fenter touted the new relationship the EAFC and said the facility, located in the old junior high office, would improve student health, increase attendance, and attract more students to the school district. The center opens its doors for the autumn semester.

“This makes too much sense not to do,” said Fenter. “Our students, faculty and staff are going to benefit from this greatly from this health center. We worked very hard to come up with the best provider of these services and very quickly settled on Dr. Jones and the EAFHC partners.”

The new School Based Health Center is unique in the area.

“You have to go a long way from this side of Little Rock, to Jonesboro, and the Missouri line south to Lousianna before you find another one of these in Arkansas,” said Fenter.

“We are very proud of that.”

CEO Dr. Susan Ward Jones said the venture with the Marion School District was unprecedented, the first of two school based health clinics EAFHC planned for the fall.

“We are proud to be a part of this new endeavor,” said Jones. “We’ll provide primary medical care to the students and staff of the Marion School District.

We‘ll perform sports physicals, immunizations, acute care visits, and all those things help keep kids in school. When kids feel sick they can come here to be taken care of. We aren’t trying to take away anything from any other providers in town. We are here to work together in collaboration to reduce health disparities and keep kids in school. This is your health care center, and we are here to help it come to fruition. Our board and staff are elated to be a

part.”

Fenter expressed gratitude toward the school board, his trustees for the commitment to grow district enrollment.

“This is going to be a huge piece of our model to grow services for our students and, in turn, grow our student population, and in turn grow our community,”

said Fenter. “ We appreciate your vision in

allowing us to do this.”

The superintendent dedicated the new health center to the late Jana Blackford.

He read her long ago letter of application to be a nurse for the Marion schools.

Fenter noted Blackford’s perennial passion before inviting Erica Blackford to the podium.

“This means a lot to my family,” said Blackford.

“My mom did not realize how special she was to our community, to the school, and what she means to so many people. Losing her was so hard, but there is light in the darkness because of all of you. You’ve embraced us and engraced us. This moment we share will never be forgotten.

Seeing her name of this means our community will always remember, thank you.”

By John Rech