The following was transcribed from an article in The Gazette on 6/15/2017.
School-based health centers thank town, staff, parents for support
The following was submitted to the Gazette as an Open Letter by Emily Pangakis, Senior Public Relations Strategist at Adams & Knight, Inc., Avon. -editor
Open Letter:
Over the past 23 years, Integrated Health Services has been proud to provide East Hartford students with quality health care services at our five School Based Health Centers. Having these centers located directly within the East Hartford High School, Middle School, and the Mayberry, Hockanum and Silver Lane Elementary Schools, made comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral health services far more accessible to students.
It has been an honor to work with your families for all these years, but due to circumstances beyond our control, Integrated Health Services will cease operating these school based health centers June 23.
Approximately six months ago, the Eat Hartford School District notified Integrated Health Services it was terminating our contract so they could review the Board’s options related to school based health centers. My team and I were disappointed by this news, especially considering the positive, measurable results our centers have shown year after year. Integrated Health Services submitted a proposal in response to the districts search for a new vendor. The East Hartford Board of Education announced its desire to contract with a new vendor in late March. We have offered to continue providing our services until the new vendor is fully operational.
Despite all that has occurred, Integrated Health Services remains committed to its mission of helping students achieve and maintain wellness by reducing and addressing barriers to care. We are excited to announce that as of July 1, Integrated Health Services will begin operating two new school-based health centers on the Goodwin College Campus through LEARN at the Connecticut River Academy and the Riverside Magnet School.
While our mailing address will change, our commitment to offering convenient, high-quality care remains as strong as ever. Our dedicated health care professionals will continue to focus on delivering comprehensive and preventive health care services to your children, helping them to achieve and maintain wellness.
I would like to thank our amazing staff of health care professionals and program administrators for their tireless dedication. I would also like to thank East Hartford Public Schools for two decades of partnership and the Dept. of Public Health for its generous support and guidance over the years.
Finally, I want to express our profound gratitude to the community at large and the thousands of families who welcomed us into your lives and trusted us with your wonderful children for the last 23 years. We look forward to serving the East Hartford community for many years to come.
Parents or patients requesting records, referrals or additional information, please leave us a detailed message at 860-461-1487.
Dr Deborah Poerio, DNP,
APRN, FNP-BC
President/CEO
Integrated Health Services