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Date: 11/16/2023
HUNTINGTON — The Gateway Regional School Committee is working on a new visitor policy that will permit the School-Based Health Center, run by the Hilltown Community Health Centers, to allow some adult patients to come in during school hours.
The request was made by the lead family nurse practitioner at the school clinic, Brenda Chaloux, in order for her to be able to continue seeing some of her Hilltown patients. Chaloux is at school during clinic open hours from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The clinic provides immunizations, physical exams, emergency care, first aid, prescriptions, mental health counseling, nutrition counseling, optometry services, sick visits and rapid in-house testing for Gateway students.
The school-based health clinic is separate and in addition to school nurses that Gateway has on staff.
At the School Committee meeting on Nov. 8, Lyndsey Papillion of Russell, who serves on the Policy Subcommittee, said subcommittee members had hashed out a new agreement that addressed some of the concerns they had, the biggest of which was security.
Papillion said Chaloux would escort community members to and from the door and check identification for visits to the clinic. She said according to Chaloux, on some days she sees 10 students and on other days, two students.
The new policy would undergo a quarterly review by Superintendent Kristen Smidy, who said she would make sure it does not take away from student care, and that the clinic would still be available to students during emergencies.
“We need to ensure that students and staff are secure in the building,” she said, adding that the school also wants to ensure that the rural community has access to health care.
The clinic currently conducts wellness visits by appointment with students. Chaloux said four to five community members might use the clinic per day. Papillon said among her patients are many staff members and parents who are already vetted by the schools. On an average day, the clinic might see four adults and six students, for example.
Papillion said the School Committee would have to vote to accept the policy every year. If health clinic personnel change, there would be an immediate review of the policy.
“Gateway is the hub of the community. If we can make it work, we can keep Brenda as a valuable asset,” Papillion said.
“It’s the perfect storm of the right people at the right time,” said committee Chair Sarah Page, adding, “If it was going to work, these are the people we would need in place.”
During the discussion, a question was asked if the committee had considered limiting the adult patients to those who always have access to the school building. They said to a certain extent, many of the patients are already vetted, but the school won’t have full access to the patient list. Gateway will provide the clinic with its trespass list.
School Committee Blandford representative Nicole Daviau said the school is open to the public for performances, Council on Aging lunches and other events. She said she was confident in the policy of having Chaloux walk patients to and from the door.
Chester representative Jeanna Briggs said she had just come from the basketball tryouts, at which 40 to 50 parents were in the building.
“I think you did the best job you could. Sounds great,” Briggs said.
Jason Forgue, another Chester representative, asked if current practice allows any teacher in the building to have any adult visitor they want.
Assistant Superintendent Stephanie Fisk said volunteers that work directly with students must pass a criminal record check.
Daviau said that visitors are under the purview of teachers, such as the people helping with a recent flower sale. Fisk said 99% of the people who came to sort flowers are the people who chaperone trips.
Forgue said he studied the grant agreement with the health clinic, and could not find any mention of services for anyone other than the students. Smidy said the grant specifies that staff should be on site and available to students, but is silent on whether the staff can also see other patients.
Page said the permission is being sought by Chaloux, who said she is committed to the school-based health center, and won’t be adding any adult patients to her caseload. According to committee members, Chaloux said if she is not permitted to see her patients from the community, she would have them see other health care providers.
Forgue asked the committee what would determine when the new policy is not working. Papillion said if there is a security breach, if students are not getting seen, or if the current Hilltown Community Health Centers staff resigns. Smidy suggested adding to the policy that it could be shut down for any reason at any time.
The committee voted to approve the policy with the suggested changes.