BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – The Bernalillo County Commission has approved a motion to let the county manager put funding towards school-based health clinics. The idea is to offer healthcare services to Albuquerque Public School (APS) and charter students through mobile clinics.
“This project has been a long time coming and dates back to my service on the APS board and years on the commission,” District 2 Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada said in a press release. “We should have school-based clinics in every school, but this is a start, and I appreciate staff following through and the support of fellow commissioners.”
The initial plan is to have clinics at four APS schools, one in each quadrant of the school district, and at two charter schools. Community centers will also see mobile health clinics year-round, the county says.
Funds for the program come from the behavioral health tax on gross receipts, which has been collecting revenue since 2015. The first two clinics are planned to start offering services in September of 2024, the county says.
The county hopes the clinics will support:
Increased use of preventative medical and behavioral health services
Improved physical and mental health
Enhanced self-efficacy and coping skills
Better attendance and academic performance
Reduced risk behaviors
Fewer disciplinary issues
Lower drop-out rates
