LEWISTON – An affiliate of St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center will offer medical services to low-income students at Lewiston middle and high schools.

The group takes over for Central Maine Medical Center, which pulled out of the Lewiston Middle School clinic last spring and planned to drastically cut services at the Lewiston High School Wellness Center this fall.

Community Clinical Services has stepped in to fill the gap.

“It’s kind of exciting,” said Donald Cannan, Lewiston Regional Technical Center director and administrator in charge of the health center. “We really need to address health issues if we’re going to address learning issues.”

Lewiston opened the high school wellness center 10 years ago to cater to the school system’s poorest students. About 600 teenagers used the clinic last year to get state-mandated immunizations, sports physicals and treatment for basic illnesses, such as bronchitis. The clinic’s nurse practitioner also helped educate students about sexually transmitted diseases and other health issues.

Although the nurse practitioner was the center’s only medical staff, she could refer students to area doctors when necessary.

In a partnewship between CMMC and the Lewiston School Department, the Wellness Center had been open from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. four days a week. But this summer, CMMC officials said they would only pay for the nurse practitioner to stay half that time.

At the time, CMMC spokesman Chuck Gill said the hospital had to cut the hours to save money.

It’s a cut that would have devastated the center and its students.

“It wasn’t a matter of kids not being there to be served,” Superintendent Leon Levesque said. “We have kids who need services.”

School officials immediately began talking with St. Mary’s about taking over for CMMC. Community Clinical Services was already running similar clinics in Auburn schools. Officials said they would be willing to work with Lewiston, too.

“Money is always a concern. But we think the school-based centers are a great opportunity to reach underserved youth,” said Jim Lysen, who oversees Community Clinical Services’ school health programs.

The current nurse practitioner will stay in Lewiston. She is expected to spend 20 hours a week at the high school and 15 hours a week at the middle school.

Services will stay the same and clinics will remain open to all students, regardless of their ability to pay. The clinics will be able to bill health insurance agencies and Medicaid for those teenagers who have it.

“We’re hoping the billing will help create a sustainable program,” Lysen said. “But we’re committed to doing this one way or another.”

Students will not have to get referrals from their primary care doctors or pay anything to visit the school clinics, even if they have health insurance.

The clinics are open now.

Officials hope to add mental health services this winter, with counselors providing help with depression, anxiety and other issues. They will give referrals to students who need more in-depth or long-term mental health counseling.

Community Clinical Services will pay for the clinics’ nurse practitioner and medical costs, while the Lewiston School Department will pay for office space in the school and administrative support.

Cannan estimated that it will cost Lewiston $20,000 to $30,000 per year, with most of the bill paid by grants.

ltice@sunjournal.com

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