William P. Jarrett Middle School and Waikīkī Health launched a new mobile health services clinic on March 31. The new clinic is located at the core of the campus and offers students and their families a wide-range of services including dental screenings, vaccinations, physical exams, health education and emergency care.
The clinic is fully funded by Waikīkī Health and was established to help address chronic absenteeism, which is a student success indicator on the Department’s Strive HI Performance System. The clinic currently operates during school hours on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Principal Reid Kuba notes the importance of this clinic and how it can help combat chronic absenteeism affiliated with student access to health resources.
"Because chronic absenteeism can hinder student success, it’s something we actively discuss and brainstorm solutions for,” Principal Kuba said. “Oftentimes students who are absent for medical reasons take a long time to recover due to the lack of medical resources.”
For a student to receive care at the new clinic, their parent or legal guardian must complete and sign the consent packet provided by the school.
Kiera Vae’ena, the Parent Community Networking Coordinator for Jarrett Middle and an occasional substitute teacher, believes that having access to quality health care during the school day that is also nearby would put her mind at ease as a parent. “I hope this becomes a place where students can become comfortable in asking for the health resources that they need,” Vae’ena said. Both of Vae’ena’s children attended Jarrett Middle.
Jarrett Middle is the first school to partner with Waikīkī Health for a mobile health clinic. Other schools including Nānākuli High & Intermediate, Wai‘anae Intermediate and Wai‘anae High have expanded their student health services in collaboration with other community partners.
“Many children need better access to medical care,” said Dr. Eliot Kalauawa, chief medical officer for Waikīkī Health. “Waikīkī Health realizes that it is difficult for parents to take their children to the doctor on a consistent basis, given their busy schedules. We aim to make medical resources quickly accessible for all children and their families."
Principal Kuba hopes that this project will become a model and resource for many of the surrounding schools and communities.
“It was always a dream to make our school a resource hub for the community,” Principal Kuba said. “I want to specifically thank Vice Principal Tyler Villamil for connecting our school with Waikīkī Health. I am extremely grateful to Waikīkī Health and our staff and parents for working so hard to make this collaboration possible.”
About Waikīkī Health
Waikīkī Health provides primary medical care, behavioral health, dental and social services. The mission of the organization is to provide quality medical and social services that are accessible and affordable for everyone, regardless of ability to pay.
