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Middle School Students Get Medical Care From
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Without Leaving School

PITTSBURGH – Feb. 26, 2004 – Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh has opened a Wellness Center at Arsenal Middle School in Lawrenceville that will offer primary care on a weekly basis to students who otherwise might not receive medical care.

Students, teachers, administrators and others toured the Arsenal Wellness Center at an open house on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2004. The wellness center will be staffed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. three days a week during the school year by medical professionals from Children's. The center will be staffed by a registered nurse from Children’s on Mondays and Fridays. On Thursdays, nurse practioners from Children’s will offer the students primary care.

“Children’s commitment to the health and well-being of the children from the Pittsburgh region extends far beyond the walls of our hospital,” said Brenda Gregg, director of Community Outreach and Health Services at Children’s. “For a variety of reasons, many students don’t always have access to appropriate medical care. But we’ve eliminated these hurdles by bringing much-needed medical services directly to the students at no cost.”

Children’s medical professionals will offer primary care such as sick visits, well visits, routine and sports physicals, and immunizations. Students in need of further medical care will be referred to appropriate physicians and other medical professionals.

The new center fills a need within the Pittsburgh Public Schools, according to Superintendent of Schools John W. Thompson.

“We are grateful for the partnerships we have with local medical providers,” Thompson said. “Students’ medical problems need to be addressed before they can be successful learners”

Children’s has a variety of school-based programs in addition to the Arsenal Wellness Center. Since 1993, Children's has operated a similar Wellness Center at Schenley High School in Squirrel Hill.

Also, Children’s Ronald McDonald Care Mobile travels weekly to Duquesne Middle School and Millones Middle School in the Hill District to offer students primary care for no fee.

Contacts:
Marc Lukasiak, 412-692-5016, Marc.Lukasiak@chp.edu
Melanie Finnigan, 412-692-5016, Melanie.Finnigan@chp.edu

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