District survey of parents found most didn’t want clinic

By Don Rush

A day before an informational meeting by Oxford Community Schools and Honor Community Health (HCH) was to take place, plans for a health care clinic inside Oxford High School were rescinded.

The meeting was to have taken place on May 2. On May 1, the district sent out a survey to parents asking if they supported the health clinic plan, or not – the poll closed at midnight.

“We were looking to operate a school-based clinic inside the high school,” Chief of Community Services for HCH Jeff Cook said. “And, it was reported to us that 60 percent of the respondents to a survey (Oxford Community Schools) did not want the clinic. They didn’t feel it was the right time. It is not the right time. Quite honestly, Honor is always available to help and provide what is needed. We are only a phone call away. At this time, because the majority of the parents in the community felt they didn’t want this, it was too difficult.

“Oxford really does have great staff and we had a great partnership with them. We worked real hard. We appreciated their talent and level of engagement. But, we felt it wasn’t the right time. The community just wasn’t ready for this level of service. Our doors will always remain open to quite possibly put a school-based health clinic in the district in the next year or two. Whenever the community feels ready to move forward with the services, we’ll be there.”

HCH rescinded their plan and the meeting was canceled.

According to the district, 730 people of families with students in grades 8 through 12 took the survey: 66 percent did not support the health clinic plan; 23 supported; and 11 percent were unsure. For families of pre-kindergarten to seventh grade, 332 people took the survey: 54 percent were not in favor of the clinic; 36 percent were; and 11 percent were unsure.

Oxford Community Schools released a statement to district parents in part stating, “Additionally, HCH, in keeping with HIPPA obligations, could not legally share with the district the information desired in regard to the mental health of the students they would see as patients.

“We are thankful for the time and effort Honor Community Health personnel have spent answering questions, attending meetings, and working with the district to help us in exploring this resource in order to meet the needs of our students.”

The district has worked with HCH to get a health clinic inside Oxford High School since the end of October, 2021 – about a month before the Nov. 30 shooting. Because of the shooting, plans were put on hold. HCH received a $250,000 grant from the state to operate the clinic inside OHS. Original plans called for the clinic to be open to the entire community. Those plans were scrapped last fall, following concerns of student safety as the clinic would have open access to the outside.

At the April 11, school board meeting, a new plan was presented for a clinic to allow just Oxford students, aged 5-21 (26 for special needs students). The new plans would have the clinic operated in the 300 Hall of the school at a cost of $400,000, with $250,000 coming from HCH’s grant. The last two school board meetings, members of the community spoke out against a state-funded health care clinic inside the district. Had it been approved, the clinic would have provided health/wellness education, facilitate classes on topics such as nutrition, asthma/diabetes, substance use and bullying with a health educator, a nurse practitioner for primary health care and a community health assistant to answer questions.