School-Based Health Centers
Thundermist runs a school-based health center in West Warwick, based at Deering Middle School which serves the High School as well.
The school-based health centers in Woonsocket are temporarily closed.**
School-based health centers provide primary care services to students in schools, during the school day. All students must have parental consent to be seen at the school-based health centers. All services are provided at no out-of-pocket cost to the student; if the family has medical insurance the health center bills the insurance company. Services include: physical exams (including school and sports physicals), immunizations, sick visits, treatment of minor injuries, health education, chronic care management (i.e. asthma, diabetes), and dental services-including examinations and hygiene services
School based health centers work closely with school personnel including principals, school nurse teachers, and student support staff. They do not take the place, or do the job of, the school nurse teacher.
School based health centers are helpful to parents because:
- It is often difficult to get time off of work to take a child to the doctor.
- Many families face transportation, language, or financial barriers in traditional health care settings.
- Adolescents often do not seek out health care because of embarrassment. Adolescence is an important time to have access to a trusted health provider.
**The school-based health centers in Woonsocket are temporarily closed; we are working with the school department to create a new school-based health program focusing on wellness, weight management and health promotion. The medical services we provide to students will continue to be available at Thundermist Health Center located at 450 Clinton Street. Please call Health Hut Assistant, Donnalee Pratt at 767-4100, ext. 3085, to schedule a medical appointment or to discuss the continuation your student’s care.
“There is lot of talk about community-oriented primary care. At Thundermist, we focus on the complex needs of our patients and our communities and provide a comprehensive array of services to meet those needs.”