LONGVIEW, Texas — The Longview ISD Board of Trustees approved a new campus health clinic at a meeting Tuesday evening.
The health clinic will be located at Longview High School and be funded by a $350,000 federal grant.
Longview ISD said the clinic will only be open to current students and staff.
"After extensive conversations with parents, community partners, and LISD staff, the board agreed that restricting access is integral to maintaining campus safety and security," said Dr. Wayne Guidry, LISD Assistant Superintendent of Finance.
Wellness Pointe of Longview will operate the campus clinic by including one medical provider, two mental health counselors, and support personnel. The clinic will provide multiple services such as basic medical care, mental health counseling, optometry, psychiatry, and dentistry.
"We are thrilled that the expertise of Wellness Pointe — combined with federal support — will allow us to provide quality care to students in need without any additional burden on local taxpayers," Guidry said.
Longview ISD said the clinic's services aim to remove barriers to care for students, increase academic success, reduce absenteeism, and improve long-term health outcomes.
"By bringing care directly to students and staff most in need, we hope to foster healthier, more equitable outcomes district- and community-wide. This clinic will provide conveniently accessible, judgment-free services tailored specifically to our school population," said Dr. James Wilcox, Longview ISD Superintendent of Schools.
In 2022, Wellness Pointe launched a health center in another district. Within the clinic's first year, it served over 1,300 patients and provided over 4,500 medical and counseling visits.
The cost to renovate the space for the future clinic is estimated to be less than $40,000.
"The competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, awarded to only 77 school-based health centers nationwide this year, will cover operational costs for services tailored specifically to the district’s student population and employees," Guidry said.
The clinic is expected to open later this year.