The Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership has invested in the Athens community through the Mobile/Athens Free Clinic since its founding in 2017.

Now, the Medical Partnership is looking to expand its reach through a new school-based health center at Clarke Middle School.

“The mobile clinic has helped increase access to health care for many CCSD students,” said Amy Roark, Clarke County School District’s director of nursing. “We are excited to launch this existing partnership to a new level of providing consistent, daily access to health and wellness services.”

School-based health centers are an innovative way to allow health care access to students, family and staff. Patients at the centers can receive a variety of health care services, from primary care to behavioral wellness, while remaining on school property.

With a successful center already established at Hilsman Middle School and staffed by the Athens Neighborhood Health Center, the school district turned its attention to the west side of Athens.  

“CCSD's goal is to increase access to health and wellness services for our students and staff,” said Roark. “The Hilsman Health Center has served as a wonderful resource for students and staff on the east side, and we believe that opening a second clinic, more convenient to central and west-side schools, will further increase access for more students.”

This new center builds on an already robust collaboration between the Medical Partnership and the Athens community.

“The mobile clinic is a longstanding partner of CCSD,” said Roark. “Together, we have coordinated and implemented COVID testing events, COVID vaccine events, sports physicals, and attended to the medical needs of uninsured students.” 

Through vaccine clinics, Medical Partnership faculty and students have vaccinated more than 1,650 school district students, staff, guardians and employees. They have also partnered with multiple agencies and organizations, including the Department of Public Health, the Athens-Clarke County government, ACC neighborhood leaders, Foothills Charter High School, Athens Community Council on Aging, Potter’s House, Columbia Brookside and Bethel Village. From March 2018 to December 2021, the mobile clinic conducted 900 patient visits at a value of $210,000.