When the Oregon Trail School District planned the new Sandy High School, a
School Based Health Clinic (SBHC) was not in the picture.

But when Clackamas County approached the district with the idea to include a
clinic, offering services like a primary care doctor’s office that a traditional
nurse’s office does not (such as comprehensive physicals, screenings,
prescriptions, immunizations, mental and emotional health services, alcohol
and drug assessments and referrals to specialty services) the district shifted
gears to make space for one.

“People liked the idea, so what we did was kind of regroup in regard to the
design, the layout of the new high school,”said Julia Monteith, OTSD
communications director, noting the clinic’s location on the east side of the
school was originally going to be classroom space. “It’s been a phenomenal
success. It’s a real bonus for students and staff at that school.”

Sandy High School’s SBHC, administered through the county at no cost to the
school district, offers services to all students in the district (and siblings not
yet enrolled in the district) between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through
Friday.

Since it opened Sept. 4, the demand has surpassed expectations.

Kim Tinker, nurse practitioner at the Sandy SBHC, noted that through early
December, the clinic saw 387 students for appointments, another 476 student
“walk ins” with minor issues and administered 100 immunizations.

“I’d say we’re doing pretty good,” Tinker said.

Sandy’s “School Based Health Clinic has just started like wildfire,” added
Jamie Zentner, the county’s SBHC program coordinator. “Most of the time,
School Based Health Clinics take a while to get up and running.”

Clackamas County operates two other SBHC in Canby and Oregon City (which
has been running for more than 20 years), with one at Milwaukie High School
operated by Outside In and another at Estacada High School to open shortly
and operated by Legacy Health Systems.

“This is not a super-new concept, it’s just one of the best kept secrets,” Tinker
said. “It’s just a tremendous service.”

“It’s really focusing on the holistic care of adolescence; it is as much mental
health as it is physical health,” Zentner added. “That’s the mindset that nurse
practitioners have when talking with students.”

The clinic will see any student, not just those people with insurance, but
Zentner noted they will bill insurance when possible. The clinic, which is
funded primarily by the county’s general fund, doesn’t ask for co-pays from
students and will charge on a sliding scale, based on need.

Public hours
Beginning in January, the Sandy clinic will be open in the late afternoon and
evening to the general public, offering the same menu of services and
operating as a primary care office, while OTSD staff will also gain access to
the clinic in February.

Hours for the general public will be from 3:30-8 p.m.

For more information, or to make an appointment, call 503-668-3483.

The clinic is located at the east entrance of Sandy High School, 37400 SE Bell
Street in Sandy.