School Based Programs
School Based Programs Service Delivery Overview
School Based Health Centers (SBHCs) provide cost-effective and time-efficient services that benefit the community, schools, teachers, parents, and scholars. The 2020 – 21 academic year posed significant challenge to service delivery, but scholars, families, and staff persevered in partnership to participate in needed behavioral health, medical, and dental visits for the elementary school (RMS), middle school (MS), high school (HS) scholars.
IHS Service Delivery Summary 2020-21
Behavioral health services remained fairly consistent through telehealth. The delivery of vital medical and dental services was negatively impacted because more than 50% of scholars remained as remote learners throughout the school year.
The unmet needs of the 2020-21 academic year require laser focus, commitment, collaboration, and investment to aid scholars and families to regain lost ground in their health and wellness.
Response to Community Needs
SBHC staff increased school/family/community engagement:
- Host open house,
- Conduct food drives,
- Conducting self-care groups,
- Providing health education, including a visit by a Planned Parenthood representative and offering afternoon FLEX groups,
- Increasing the hours of dentist on site and garnering a Per Diem Dental Hygienist.
Registration Form
School Based Programs Registration Forms
Laura M. I. Saunders, Psy.D. ABPP is a staff psychologist working at the Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital and is also Board Certified in Clinical Psychology. She is the Director of the new initiative, the Center for Gender Health at Hartford Healthcare. In 2015, Dr. Saunders was named Employee of the Year for Hartford Hospital and in 2019, she was the recipient of the Ned Graffagnino Award for distinguished service in the areas of community-oriented work and collaboration with other mental health professionals. 
Kareen Wilson is a team leader, owner, and patient-therapist at Contemporary General Dentistry in West Hartford, CT, and Smile Studio Dentistry in Hartford, CT. Kareen also works as an adjunct professor in the leadership program at Goodwin University. She has over twenty-five years of experience in clinical dental hygiene and office management. 
For over 25 years Doug Edwards has been a family services consultant who designs and facilitates fatherhood-focused programs. He provides professional development and training for family workers at state and non-profit human services agencies.
Joe Murphy is a Certified Financial Planner™ at Gateway Financial Partners. He has over 40 years of experience in Wealth Management and Investment Planning, including working with teams in the bank investment arena.