School Board saves on-campus health clinics

With a $75,000 split decision, the Monroe County School Board rescued an on-campus health clinic program for the district’s 8,000 students run by a Florida Keys nonprofit that sought school money for the second straight year.

But the vote was 3-2 after much debate over whose responsibility is is to keep the free health clinics running in public schools.

Chairman Andy Griffiths and board members Ed Davidson and Ron Martin voted to save the clinics while John Dick and Bobby Highsmith said no.

The original request from Florida Keys Area Health Education Center was $100,000, which is exactly what Gov. Rick Scott cut for the children’s health clinic programs as part of his $256.1 million veto list of Florida’s budget.

“They did their homework and I think in this situation it’s a bargain investment,” Davidson said.

The Health Education Center, using three full-time health professionals to provide care through six Monroe County schools, recorded more than 7,000 visits last year.

This story was originally published August 13, 2016 at 9:34 AM with the headline "School Board saves on-campus health clinics."