Frequently Asked Questions About The Maranacook Student
Health Center
What is the Maranacook Student Health Center (MSHC)?
The MSHC is a school-based health center that serves all students in grades 6-12 and is located at Maranacook Community High School. Services are designed to meet the needs of the students. The Maranacook Community School (MCS) District and MaineGeneral Health Associates jointly support the health center. The purpose is to keep students healthy; reduce time lost from school; teach healthy lifestyle practices, and detect and treat problems and illnesses before they become serious. The health center provides ‘expanded services’ to the student body beyond those provided by the school nurse, and complement those of the student’s primary care provider. Services are provided by physician assistant (PA), pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP), resident physicians and licensed counselors and require parental permission.
What Expanded Services are Offered?
• Diagnosis, treatment, and triage of injuries;
• Diagnosis and treatment of illnesses such as strep throat, mono, and ear infections;
• Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications;
• Evaluation of recurring symptoms such as headaches or stomach pains;
• Assistance with chronic conditions, such as asthma, eating disorders, or diabetes;
• Comprehensive reproductive health care including education and counseling; prescription contraception and contraception management; diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections; and pregnancy testing
• Provision of routine lab tests, including hemoglobin, cultures, screenings for mono and strep;
• Medical health counseling;
• Behavioral Health Counseling including individual, family and group counseling; substance abuse assessments and treatment; educational support groups; consultations to school staff and families; crisis intervention;
• Referrals for off-site treatment.
How Do I Sign Up for Services?
At the beginning of each school year, parents are asked to complete a health services registration form. This form includes demographic, medical and emergency contact information that the school nurse needs on all students. On the reverse side, parents have the option of signing up for ‘expanded services’. If you do choose this option, your child is able to see the physician assistant (PA), pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) or resident physician.
My child is in the Middle School – how does he/she access services at the health center?
Cindy Flye, coordinator of services for the health center, works closely with the middle school wellness center staff – especially school nurse, Vicky Gabrion. If your child feels ill or has an injury, she/he goes to the Middle School Wellness Center to see the school nurse. The school nurse assesses your child’s illness or injury and provides treatment. If your child needs further care that the nurse cannot provide and you have signed up for ‘expanded services’ at the high school health center, the school nurse will make an appointment for your child to see the PA or resident physician. A member of middle school Wellness Center staff will escort your child to the high school health center for their appointment. Health services staff will communicate with you and your child’s doctor if a new diagnosis is made, a current
medication is discontinued/changed, a new medication is prescribed, or if follow-up care with your doctor is recommended.
Do I have to pay for visits to the health center?
The Maranacook Student Health Center continues to participate in the pilot project this year with the Maine Association of Health Plans (MAHP). We are able to bill health insurance plans and receive reimbursement for medical services provided by the physician assistant/nurse practitioner at the student health center. MaineGeneral Health Associates will continue to provide billing services. One unique aspect of the project is that prior authorization from your primary care provider (PCP) is not required for your child to be seen at the student health center– this aspect reduces one of the barriers for young people seeking health care. Health Center staff will continue to communicate with your child’s PCP to enhance continuity of care – especially if a new diagnosis is made, a new prescription is written, or there is a need for
further care. Visits to the student health center will be billed to your health insurance plan as it is done in your Primary Care Provider’s office–one difference is that we will not be charging a co-payment for each visit. One of our goals is to increase access to health care for our young people and charging a $10- $20 fee per visit would only be another barrier. Please keep in mind, however, that if your health insurance plan has a high deductible or you pay a percentage for each office visit, MGHA will bill you directly for that amount just as it is done in your doctor’s office. A major benefit of providing these services at school is that it saves your child missing time away from school when they can have an appointment at the health center and it saves parents time away from work.
What if my child needs behavioral health counseling?
The student health center offers high quality, on-site counseling services through the School-Based Behavioral Health Collaborative. The Collaborative partner is Kennebec Behavioral Health. These services are available to any student who is signed up for expanded health center services. Requests for these services are made with Cindy Flye, Health Center Coordinator in the high school and with Vicky Gabrion, school nurse in the middle school. Cindy and Vicky work together to coordinate each counselor’s caseload, make appointments for students and sends reminders, and assist with communication between the counselor and parents. Services are provided at the high school health center for MS and HS students. These services are billed for by Kennebec Behavioral Health. If your health plan has a co-pay for counseling services
you will be billed for that co-pay. If a student’s family does not have health insurance the team will work with the family on payment options.
If you have any questions about health services please call Cindy Flye, health center coordinator at 685-4923, x 325.
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