PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The health resource center at Building 21 Philadelphia is one of the newest school-based health centers in the school district. Dr. Denise Johnson, Pennsylvania's physician general and acting health secretary, paid a visit to the high school’s clinic Thursday.
It is equipped with all the tools available at any doctor’s office and can handle issues from stomach aches to complete annual physicals, Johnson said.
"I heard from students today that they might have a headache ... really, whatever presenting symptom that the child has, they can come to the health clinic to get those needs evaluated."
The health center at Building 21, one of 14 school-based health clinics in the city, provides on-the-spot medical care to underserved students in Philadelphia. It was founded in partnership with Education Plus Health and the Family Practice and Counseling Network in March 2020, right before COVID-19 shutdowns hit the city.
Since students returned to in-person learning, the center has been offering them the same quality of care that someone would get from an outside clinic, entirely free of charge.
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Building 21’s co-founder Laura Shubilla says the clinic is an excellent resource and a valuable asset for students.
"They talk about how lucky they feel to have trusted adults in the building, that they can go to and really talk about their health needs right on site in the building," Shubilla said.
The clinic is also a huge help for parents.
“Parents don’t have to take time off from work to get their kids to the doctor. ... The doctor or health care provider is right there where the student is, and so it really provides an ease of access to high-quality care,” Johnson said.
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