19 Dec 2001
New Seagoville Youth and Family Center Facility Offers More Health Services
To Students and Their Families
DALLAS–To dedicate a new facility for the Seagoville Youth and Family Center clinic, the Dallas Independent School District and Parkland Health and Hospital System hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, December 19, at 15020 Seagoville Road.
At the ceremony, DISD General Superintendent Mike Moses and Parkland President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ron Anderson were joined by School Board Trustee George Williams and Texas State Representative Dale Tillery. These elected officials along with Texas State Senator Royce West were instrumental in securing funding and getting legislation passed that made the district's school-based health program possible.
Presently housed in Seagoville High School, the new self-contained facility will be located on the grounds shared by the secondary campus and Seagoville Middle School. In its new location, the clinic will provide students and their families more expanded mental and physical health services, Moses said.
"The academic success of students depends on their physical and mental health," he said. "The Seagoville clinic will now have more resources to assist the teachers in the classroom. The clinic will provide students the services and experienced medical support necessary to enhance their education."
The school-based partnership between the Parkland organization and DISD system has been in place for more than 30 years beginning with the initial clinic. Dr. Anderson said the new facility demonstrates a commitment to the school-based health programs.
"We have shown that children and families enrolled in our school-based program have improved health and educational outcomes," he said. "We plan to continue our involvement in this partnership to help meet our mission of improving the overall health of the community."
The center staff is moving from its one-room clinic to a facility that includes a reception area, five exam rooms, six family therapy rooms, a pharmacy and office space for staff and consultations.
The Seagoville Youth and Family Center is one of nine centers located throughout DISD. The district has sponsored a school-based health program for students for about three decades. The program has received state and national awards. Most recently the DISD's Youth and Family Centers received a commendation for exemplary programs and practices in the Texas School Performance Review report by Carole Keeton Rylander, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The report cited the centers for providing services that contribute to improve attendance, a reduction in dropouts and fewer discipline referrals.
Some of the health services offered by the Youth and Family Centers include immunizations, sports physicals and screening of various health threats to help prevent and control diseases. Other services available to students and their families are parent training, group counseling, individual counseling, psychiatric consultation, family therapy and school interventions.
Throughout the year, the centers sponsor several activities and programs from youth development to health education. All nine centers are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.