Deaconess Foundation Opens Health Check for Middletown Students and Community

Underserved Middletown students and the community at large can now access primary care services at the new Deaconess Health Check at 601 N. Breiel Blvd. in Middletown.

The Deaconess Foundation awarded $300,000 to Primary Health Solutions (PHS) of Butler County to establish its 13^th Deaconess Health Check, which serve underserved individuals throughout greater Cincinnati. Its newest Health Check opened Monday, Dec. 10 at the Middletown City School-Based Health Center. Opening hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and while appointments are requested, walk-ins are welcome.

"We’re pleased to award this grant for Middletown schools and the community," said Tony Woods, chairman of the Deaconess Foundation. "Its location within the new high school provides excellent, convenient services to keep students in school and prepared to learn without requiring parents to leave work and lose wages. We’re gratified to positively impact lives in this important way."

Primary Health Solutions in Hamilton, Ohio, will operate and staff the Deaconess Health Check. Deaconess is a funder for construction and equipment, along with Interact for Health. OneSight donated vision equipment and Delta Dental donated dental equipment.

The Deaconess Health Check will provide primary care, mental health, vision and dental services, said Diane Decker, director of development at Deaconess Foundation. Students and members of the community at large can receive physicals and vaccinations, eye and hearing exams, and be prescribed medication for illnesses, she added. All insurances will be accepted.

"The Middletown City School District is comprised of 10 schools serving more than 6,300 students," said Decker.  "Ninety-seven percent of students qualify for free lunch, meaning the children’s family income must be below 130 percent of the poverty level. If students have medical issues, they can’t perform well academically. This center will be for students, their families, the community, and staff."

Some of the illnesses underserved populations are likely to have include asthma, diabetes or mental health issues. Some students have never seen a dentist or optometrist, and have even been diagnosed as learning-disabled when they actually need corrective lenses, said Decker.

The majority of students in Middletown City School District qualify for Medicaid insurance, and often encounter barriers to access due to the limited number of providers accepting Medicaid. The Deaconess Health Check will help eliminate those barriers, she added.

"Good primary health care is an important step to help level the playing field so students can succeed in school, at work, and in life," said Decker.

Deaconess has provided healthcare services in Cincinnati since 1888. The Deaconess Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Deaconess Associations, Inc., which provides healthcare access and education to the at-risk population. In 2017, the foundation invested more than $1.4 million in grants to improve community health, including its 12 Deaconess Health Check clinics located throughout greater Cincinnati. The Health Checks provide care in homeless shelters, substance abuse treatment facilities, children’s homes, and schools.

Since 2012, the Deaconess Foundation has awarded more than $11 million to community organizations that deliver healthcare improvements through its Deaconess Health Check clinics and its support of health educational programs, including Heimlich Maneuver training with the Deaconess Heimlich Heroes Program.

For more information about Deaconess Foundation programs and initiatives, visit www.deaconess-healthcare.com/foundation or contact Decker at (513) 559-2111.