GRANT, Mich. — The Grant School Board voted for a second time to end their contract with Family Health Care, which will shut down the Child and Adolescent Health Center in Grand Middle School. A special session was scheduled after community members raised concerns that the session held on June 19th violated the Open Meetings Act.
Julie Tatko, CEO of Family Health Care hoped that Family Health Care would continue to be able to work with Grant Schools and says that the community will lose important access to health care.
"There are over 680 kids that use our services in the past year. And we know if they try to go to offices in town, they won't be prioritized in the same way that they are through the health care services provided in their school."
Makayla Willett and her son were also attending the meeting, as her son, Miles, recently had surgery to remove a brain tumor after receiving care at the health center.
"And without this place, you know, he I don't know that he'd be here today," said Willet who visited the health center after her son was misdiagnosed twice at other facilities.
The school board cited reasons related to costs and security for the reason behind their decision. Board member Rob Schuitema, who was the only board member to vote against the resolution, refuted the claims.
"I guess we would we would save the roughly $5,000, but I'm wondering where we would make up for the difference in the health and well being of our students."
Members of the school board who voted in favor of the resolution declined to comment.
Some members of the audience were in favor of the resolution.
"Yes, there's lots of positive things that come with having this health care for these children. But it is also broken, and that needs to be fixed or adjust," said one community member speaking for who she describes as "the silent".
But the majority of those attending called for the board to rethink their decision.
Elizabeth Gotberg, a behavioral health therapist based at Family Health Care, shared statistics that audience members found alarming.
"In the last year under suicide 8% of our patients answered yes to having seriously thought about committing suicide or engaging in self harm. And I feel that it's important to acknowledge that this equates to 36 middle and high school students in our community who answered yes to seriously considering suicide or self harm."
A community member who is unable to drive due to a physical disability also voiced her concerns on the lack of accessibility to health care.
"Not having the childhood adolescent health center may prevent students whose only reliable source of transportation is a school bus that they use in the morning and prevents them from seeking the medical care they need."
Community members also accused board members of making this decision based on their personal beliefs and referenced previous controversies.
"The Teen Health Center is a safe space. Kids need a safe space. And I'm sorry that we have students in our school that don't fit your parameters of what you think is okay. That mural is not sexualizing anyone or anything," said a retired Grant Public Schools Teacher, referring to the mural within the health center painted by a student that drew criticism.
"It's an all inclusive mural. It has kids on it in animals on it. And I don't understand what the problem is in this community with wanting to be inclusive."
Carol Mills, the executive director for Newaygo County Mental Health, had the following to say in response to the board's decision:
"I'm very disappointed that they reaffirmed the decision to close the health center. I am hopeful that between now and July 10, they're able to gather facts. And they're able to reconsider this, especially considering all of the statements that the community made."
The next board meeting will be held on July 10th. There are currently no confirmed plans of a replacement of the Child and Adolescent Health Center.
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