Download Student Wellness Center October 1997 to May 2012

The Physician Network
affiliate of Saint Francis Medical Center
Cindy Sestak, FACHE
Executive Director, The Physician Network
Celebration
 The Student Wellness Center is
completing it’s 18th school year at
Grand Island Senior High!
Mission
 The Student Wellness Center’s
Mission is to improve young people’s
access to health services by providing
comprehensive, convenient mental
and physical health care which will
result in a healthier student.
 Primarily funded through a grant from
the CHI Health St. Francis Foundation.
Mission
 For the 2014-2015 school year approximately
52% of students who received care at the
Student Wellness Center qualified for financial
assistance through The Physician Network.
 Student need is based on student/family
qualification for free or reduced lunches.
 Many students now have some form of
insurance, however, those with financial
assistance are not billed for the balance unpaid
by their insurance carrier.
Medical Services
 Students are seen for sports and school
physical exams, including immunizations and
screening for tuberculosis.
 Students continue to receive care for upper
respiratory infections, sinus infection, strep
throat, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, mono,
and other minor illness. Referrals are made as
needed.
 Students are also educated in appropriate selfcare and on wellness practices to keep them
healthy and become educated consumers of
healthcare in the future.
Mental Health Services
 Students present with problems such as poor
grades or attendance, family conflict,
relationship issues, or feelings of sadness,
anxiety or low motivation.
 Students learn how to appropriately express
their feelings, communicate more effectively, set
goals and develop coping skills.
Medication Management
Services
 Students may be referred by the therapists for
consultation with a Nurse Practitioner from Richard
Young Outpatient Clinic in Kearney to assess the
need for medication to help with mental health
issues.
 Nurse Practitioner is here twice a month in person
and also does follow-up appointments with students
via tele-health at the Student Wellness Center.
 Nurse Practitioner can prescribe medications to
help students with symptoms ranging from ADD to
depression. She then follows up with them to ensure
they are taking their medication appropriately, the
medication is effective and that they are following
with one of the therapists for further needs.
Substance Abuse Services
The most common diagnoses:
 Alcohol abuse
 Cannabis abuse
 Prescription and over the counter drug abuse
 Methamphetamine abuse is seen, however,
onset is typically late adolescence/early
adulthood
 Meth prevention is done at this level
Risk Assessments
Our therapists are available when a student
presents to school with thoughts of harming
themselves or others. When contacted by a
school official, our therapists talk to the student
and/or family and make a recommendation
regarding needed intervention and continued
care and work with the school to find resources
for the needed care.
 2012-2013: 14 Risk Assessments
 2013-2014: 21 Risk Assessments
 2014-2015: 40 Risk Assessments
Student Wellness Center Staff.
Brittany Augustyn, APRN
 Brittany is a Family Nurse Practitioner
who has been with the Student Wellness
Center for 1 ½ years.
 She graduated with her RN in May 2009
and her NP in May 2013.
 She is passionate about educating and
empowering adolescents to utilize the
health care system appropriately.
 She enjoys caring for patients who have
limited access to healthcare and values
the opportunity to educate students and
families on resources available.
 Brittany’s hobbies include reading,
gardening and spending time with her
husband and two young children.
Student Wellness Center Staff
Stephenie Bauer, LIMHP, LADC
 Stephenie is a dually licensed therapist who
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has worked for the Student Wellness Center for
1 ½ years.
She has experience providing therapeutic
services for adults, children, and families in
community-based agencies. She specializes is
trauma recovery, anxiety disorders and
addictions.
She has worked as a therapist and then
director in a residential treatment facility in the
12 years she has practiced.
She values most being able to provide
behavioral health services to clients who
otherwise might not receive services.
Stephenie’s hobbies include spending time
with her husband, Jason and their two sons
and family and friends, reading and teaching
fitness classes.
Student Wellness Center Staff
Caroline Jones, LIMHP, LADC
 Caroline is a dually licensed therapist who
has worked for the Student Wellness Center
for 9 years.
 She specializes in adolescents, trauma, and
substance abuse.
 Children, adolescent, and family therapy
have been her primary focus for the over 15
years she has practiced in the mental health
and substance abuse field.
 The Student Wellness Center has been an
enriching and rare opportunity in which to
collaborate with GIPS, and as a result,
better serve clients.
 Caroline’s hobbies include running, reading,
and spending outdoor time with her family.
Student Wellness Center Staff
Jessica Sawyer, APRN
 Jessica joins us from Richard Young
Outpatient Clinic.
 She provides medication management for
our patients with mental and behavioral
health needs.
 She started with the Student Wellness
Center in April 2015. She comes to the
Student Wellness Center twice per month
and also sees students for follow-ups via
tele-health.
 She is excited to get to work with young
people, as helping young people is a
passion for her.
Student Wellness Center Staff
April Mora, CMA
 April is a Certified Medical Assistant who
has worked for the Student Wellness Center
for 17 years.
 She is involved in both clinical and
administrative support- answering phones,
scheduling appointments, administering
vaccinations, getting vitals, lab collections,
preparing charts and taking attendance.
 April was involved with the Teammates
program for 6 years. She is very involved
with Habitat for Humanity- volunteering over
600 hours in the last 18 months. She also is
a program participant moving into her own
home last year.
 April has four children ages 11, 10, 6 and 4.
Enrollment
 Prior to 2013, consent forms for the Student
Wellness Center were mailed in the student
registration packets from Grand Island Public
Schools.
 In 2013, GIPS changed to online registration.
 Consent forms for the Student Wellness Center are
now filled out on an as needed basis when a student
comes in for services. They are also available
online, during parent-teacher conferences and inperson registration events.
Enrollment
Grand Island Senior High
 2012-2013: 1301 consents signed-7% utilized our
services
 2013-2014: 397 consents signed- 56% utilized our
services
 2014-2015: 480 consents signed- 60% utilized our
services
Grand Island Middle Schools (Walnut and Barr)
 2012-2013: 140 consents signed- 7% utilized our services
 2013-2014: 30 consents signed- 80% utilized our services
 2014-2015: 33 consents signed- 76% utilized our services
Utilization
 For the 2014-2015 school year at GISH
 126 patients saw Brittany for medical needs
 77 patients saw Caroline for mental health needs
 69 patients saw Stephenie for mental health needs
 1 patient saw both Caroline and Stephenie
 17 patients saw a combination of therapist and Brittany
 30 patients consulted with our NP from RYOC
 For the 2014-2015 school year at Barr/Walnut Middle
Schools
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15 patients saw Brittany
7 patients saw Caroline
3 patients saw a combination of therapist and Brittany
2 patients consulted with the NP from RYOPC
Successes
 Student referred for cutting and suicidal ideation
due to emotional trauma. After 2 years of
counseling, student has not cut in over a year and
remains stable regarding thoughts of self-harm.
Student is planning on graduating and studying
forensic psychology.
 Student referred by school counselor due to truancy
and poor grades. Client diagnosed with Major
Depressive Disorder and attended counseling for a
year to work on coping with a disruptive home
situation. Currently, the student has greatly
improved attendance and has above average
grades, planning on taking summer classes at CCC.
Successes
 Student presented complaining of chest pain
and heart racing during exercise. Student
parents lived out of state, had no insurance,
living with family here. Student had free lunches
and financial assistance through The Physician
Network, we were able to refer them to CHI
Health St. Francis to have additional testing
done, with no cost to the patient. Patient test
results came back fine and they have now
returned to normal activity. Family stated they
would not have been able to afford the testing if
it wasn’t for our financial assistance.
Lease Renewal
 By renewing our lease through 6/30/2018 we can
continue to work together to:
 Educate and engage students in wellness.
 Address the health and wellness concerns of a
student population who may not receive services
otherwise.
We look forward to growing and serving together
into the future.