Parents hoping to get a jump start on the new school year can head over to the Oakdale School – Based Health Center (SBHC) for sports physicals, yearly comprehensive physicals and immunizations.
“We reopened on August 2, and are very excited to see all of our students returning for another school year,” said Sharon Rush, SBHC director. “Parents never pay a co-pay for their student to receive services at our clinic and uninsured students are always welcome.”
The Oakdale SBHC is located in Allen Parish on the campus of Oakdale Middle School. The clinic is connected by a breezeway to Oakdale High School’s campus, which allows the clinic to service both student populations. “While the clinic primarily serves the middle and high school students, any child attending a public school in Allen Parish can be seen if their parents provide transportation to the health center,” says Rush.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Jessica Thibodeaux provides children and adolescents acute and diagnostic care and can see students for both well and sick visits. She is assisted by medical assistant Sadie Fuselier and registered nurse Ashley Wheat who also serves as the school nurse. Students needing individualized or group therapy can schedule appointments with Licensed Clinical Social Worker Jessie Deville. She helps students manage stress and anger, depression, trauma, bullying and substance abuse. She even offers grief counseling and ways to improve student’s communication skills. While most students are seen in-person, students may take advantage of virtual appointments through telemedicine or teletherapy if they are sick at home.
The Oakdale SBHC is managed by Access Health Louisiana in partnership with the Allen Parish School Board. “Access Health Louisiana has provided so many more opportunities for our school-based health center. We now offer vaccines to our students who are covered under their parents’ private insurance policies,” adds Rush. “In the past, we were only able to vaccinate students who had Medicaid insurance policies or who were uninsured.”
Allen Parish School Superintendent Kent Reed also sees the value in having a school health center to serve his student population. “With our partnership with Access Health Louisiana, we are able to provide healthcare to our Allen Parish students on site to keep them from missing valuable school time, while at the same time providing a service to the parents who are at work,” comments Reed. “Sports physicals are even offered for our student athletes at no cost.”
It’s important for parents and grandparents to know that the SBHC does not replace a child’s pediatrician. In fact, the health center offers continuity of care for students while on campus. Nurse Practitioner Thibodeaux and her team communicate with pediatric offices frequently informing doctors that their patients were seen in the health center. Health center staff also communicates with parents ensuring the best care possible for the child.
To take advantage of the school-based services, parents must complete a consent and enrollment form for the health center. Forms are sent home at the beginning of the school year; however, parents can sign their child up for services at any time during the year. Digital forms can be completed on the Oakdale SBHC webpage on the Access Health Louisiana website at accesshealthla.org or by visiting the Allen Parish School Board website under the School Based Health Center tab at the top of the page.
Appointments are encouraged during the school day; however, walk-ins are always welcome. The health center is open 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. daily while school is open. For more information, call (318) 215-1413. Access Health Louisiana also operates the Woodworth Community Health Center on Highway 165 South in Rapides Parish.
