Middle Island, NY - August 26, 2014 - Through a joint partnership with JK and Stony Brook University Hospital, the SBHC will provide support for both the physical and emotional wellness of high school students, helping them address those issues that may impact their ability to learn and excel in the classroom. The SBHC is scheduled to open at the end of September 2014.

The center will be staffed by third-year residents, one nurse practitioner and a medical assistant under the supervision of an attending physician at Stony Brook University Hospital. A registered professional school nurse will also be part of the team. Because the health center is conveniently located, students will spend less time out of school when they need medical attention; if a student is not feeling well while in school, they can receive appropriate medical care.

The SBHC staff will have the ability to provide services that school nurses are prohibited from providing, including diagnosis and doctor referral. With parental consent, students can make an appointment or stop in when they are not feeling well. Only students with parental consent and completed permission forms will be seen. All services are strictly confidential. There is no charge to children or their families for care provided at the center. Insurance companies may be billed for visits, but no co-pays or other fees are collected from students, and the staff can help families of uninsured children apply for coverage through New York’s Child Health Plus, Medicaid or other sources.

The SBHC was part of the original design of Longwood High School back in the early 1980s. According to a recent New York State School Board Association article, the State Health Department determined that there were 228 SBHC operating throughout New York State in 2013. JK Diagnostic and Treatment Center is a New York State licensed Article 28 Community Health Care Facility offering a range of primary health care and therapeutic services to the community from birth through adulthood.