Governor DeWine cuts ribbon on Gallia County school-based health clinic

GALLIPOLIS, Ohio (WOWK) – The ribbon has been cut on a new school-based healthcare facility in Gallia County. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and local leaders were at the event to celebrate the milestone.

The facility will serve Gallipolis City Schools.

The clinic was built with a $2.6 million grant from DeWine’s Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative. Partners like Holzer Health Systems and Nationwide Children’s Hospital are also providing support to the facility by offering a variety of services, from dental care, mental health, vision services, and more, to students, faculty, and the community.

“We’ve seen this work across the state very well, and one of the reasons they work, frankly, is because schools are just a trusted place. People are used to coming here. This becomes the center of the community,” says Governor DeWine.

DeWine says he hopes the center will help serve people who may not otherwise have access to care. Local leaders say they hope promoting health and wellness in the school will bring about positive changes in students’ attendance, grades and overall well-being.

This is part of the Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative, which has invested over $64 million into workforce development. The project is expected to impact 61,000 students and 375,000 residents across 20 Appalachian counties.

For more information on the project, click here.