The school-based health centers at Glenwood Springs and Roaring Fork high schools — operated by Mountain Family Health Centers — received an $18,000 grant from the Aspen Community Foundation, the nonprofit announced last week.

The clinics, operated by Mountain Family since 2019, provide physical, mental and behavioral health services to patients ages 0 to 20 and “don’t turn anyone away, regardless of ability to pay.”

McKenzie Rieder, Mountain Family’s school-based health clinic program manager, explained how the most important factor for continued success will always revolve around accessibility and community support. 

“Being able to offer so many services within the same building that the student is spending the vast majority of their waking hours in is a huge deal for access to care,” she said. 

According to the news release, the grant from the Aspen Community Foundation will assist up to 4,000 youth across the region. 

The centers are open year-round and rely entirely on grant funding and private donations. They offer affordable health care that includes behavioral and emotional services, routine lab work, dental services, immunizations and financial assistance programs.

“As a community led health center, we cannot function without community support, and we’re super grateful for the Aspen Community Foundation. 

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“Mountain Family as a whole is community led, but it’s also community funded. We don’t turn anyone away, regardless of their ability to pay, and that’s a huge deal because healthcare access is becoming harder and harder for everyone across the board.”

The news release cited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research showing that one in five youth ages 3-17 have been diagnosed with mental, emotional or behavioral health conditions.

“These conditions are more likely to be addressed when the primary care is integrated with behavioral healthcare, as it is at MFHC’s school-based health centers. There, pediatric nurse practitioners work side-by-side with licensed clinical social workers to normalize and de-stigmatize mental health treatment,” the release reads.

Roaring Fork School District Superintendent Anna Cole said the partnership helps ensure students have consistent access to care.

“We are very grateful for our partnership with Mountain Family Health Centers through the School-based Health Centers at Roaring Fork and Glenwood Springs High Schools and for primary care services for students and families. These partnerships strengthen access to integrative health care and keep students happy, healthy, and ready to learn,” she said.

Rieder expanded upon Cole’s point, explaining how the ease of access can bleed out into other facets of the students education career. 

“There have been studies that have demonstrated that there’s improvement in overall grades and truancy rates for kids who access the health centers,” Rieder said.

According to Rieder, the positive impacts are endless, and can only expand upon further community support. 

“I hope that this can start to show other foundations and collaborative partners to see the value in what school-based programming has to offer,” she said. “We’re a community health center, and we are supported and staffed by community members. It’s important the public knows that we exist and how we serve as a resource for families throughout the community while meeting them where they are.”

For more information about the SBHC, visit Mountainfamily.org/school-based-health-centers.