The Minneapolis Health Department opened its ninth School Based Clinic (SBC) at Wellstone International High School. The new SBC will serve more than 240 international and multilingual students aged 17 to 23 in grades 9 through 12.
For more than a decade, SBCs have supported the health and well-being of Wellstone students, with services previously located at Roosevelt High School and, more recently, at FAIR High School.
“Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed—both in the classroom and in life—and that starts with access to essential health care,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “The opening of the School Based Clinic at Wellstone International High School is another step toward ensuring all our young people, regardless of their background, have the resources they need to be the best people they can be. This clinic will provide critical services, helping them focus on their education and their future.”
Join the celebration
Students, families, faculty and SBC staff will celebrate the new SBC grand opening on Tuesday, Nov. 12 from noon to 2 p.m.
“Advocating for our students’ holistic well-being means both: removing barriers and providing opportunities for resources that enhance high-quality learning experiences,” said Dr. Isabel Rodriguez Mendoza, Wellstone's Principal. “The School Based Clinic supports this responsibility and mission for our communities. As new to MPS, Wellstone students are learning to find resources to help them succeed and survive within new and unfamiliar systems. The SBC offers easy access to crucial health services and resources on-site at low or no cost at all, giving them one less thing to worry about. Having a School Based Clinic brings a sense of joy, community, and security: ‘Healthy mind in a healthy body’ (Decimus Junius Juvenal).”
School Based Clinics mission
Minneapolis SBCs offer easy and confidential access to health care services for no cost to high school students. The clinics allow students to:
- Take charge of their health.
- Get no cost, confidential services.
- Go to appointments without leaving school.
- Build relationships with providers who understand teens.
- Reduce school absences and parents missing work.
- Increase their success in school.
“Our goal is to achieve health equity by empowering adolescents to access health services that are teen-friendly, LGBTQIA+ inclusive, culturally responsive and affirming, convenient, and barrier-free,” said School Based Clinics Program Manager Barbara Kyle. “The SBCs can provide the first point of contact for health care for Minneapolis teens, addressing healthcare barriers such as lack of insurance, parental or guardian cooperation, and transportation.”
Services offered by SBCs
- Sports physicals
- Well-child and teen checkups
- Acute care
- Vaccinations
- Reproductive health care
- Mental health care
- Nutrition services
- Health education
Minneapolis School Based Clinics