A8 News wallowa.com September 9, 2015 Wallowa County Chieftain CENTER: Powers outlines plan Continued from Page A1 Powers’ presentation showed that 38.6 percent of the county lives at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, none of these people were served by a health center. The survey cited lack of transporta- tion, poverty, lack of providers and lack of health education as reasons for inadequate access to health and dental care. The presentation cited sta- tistics that show utilization of school health centers results in better student grades, re- duction of missed work by parents, fewer athletic injuries and an increase in healthy be- haviors. Powers said parental input on policies and procedures of the center was central to its operation. She added that par- ents of students could sign an “opt-out” form if they didn’t wish their children to utilize the center. While acknowledging pa- rental rights, Powers added that legally, any child over the age of 15 can consent to health care at health clinics without parental knowledge, while children over 14 can consent to mental health care and any child can get repro- ductive health care or coun- seling, again without parental knowledge. The health center, however, would not treat chil- dren whose parents signed an opt-out slip. “We feel very strongly about parents being involved with their children every step of the way and with every vis- LUNCHES SERVED DAILY Now serving breakfast burritos & biscuits! 105 SE 1st St. • Enterprise • 426-3790 ATHLETE OF THE WEEK This week’s athlete of the week is Justin Exon, who plays football for Enterprise High School. Exon proved one of the few bright spots in a 42-0 losing effort in a Sept. 4 home game against Stanfield. The 17-year- old senior caught two passes for 17 yards and gained 50 yards rushing on 12 carries while on offense. He also had a 26-yard kick return. Exon also sparkled defensively, racking up 12 solo tackles and one assisted tackle during the game as well as forcing two fumbles while recovering one from Stanfield. Exon is the son of Don and Janet Exon of Enterprise. it,” Powers said. Much of the audience de- bate centered around parental rights and the notion that the center would provide birth control services or abortion re- ferrals without parental knowl- edge or permission. Powers said the health center would not distribute birth control of any kind as it was readily available at the county’s health department. While Powers said a year- ly state grant and a sliding fee scale would help the health center provide treatment for the poor or under-insured, the center would bill more ¿nan- cially stable parents’ insurance for services rendered to their children. When pressed, Pow- ers said that a minor accessing services could legally call their parents’ insurance company to keep treatment information from reaching them. That in- formation brought a few gasps from the audience. Powers added that even if a parent hadn’t signed an opt- out slip, she would do her ut- most to convince the patient to involve the parents, and had been quite successful doing so in the past. In answer to an expressed concern about statistics that would be released on children who accessed care, Powers said those would include only the age, diagnosis and sex of the patient, with no individu- al identi¿cation provided. She said it was virtually identical Steve Tool/Chieftain Enterprise School Superintendent Brad Royse addresses the crowd at a public meeting concerning implementation of a School Based Health Center (SBHC) at Enterprise School. to patient information released from patient treatment at the hospital. When asked if health cen- ter policies might change with shifts in personnel, Powers urged parents and community members to form a steering committee to keep policies and procedures enforced in such an event. Powers explained to a ques- tioner that treatment protocols for minors at the school-based World Rabies Day is September 28 Sept. 28- Oct. 2 JUSTIN EXON Proudly Sponsored By: Eastern Oregon’s Full Service Propane Supplier 201 E. Hwy 82, Enterprise 541-426-0320 www.edstaub.com ep ab We are offering a RABIES VACCINATION SPECIAL tem ies be Day r 2 for previously unvaccinated dogs, cats, and horses: are 8 is PE offe r in C $15 rabies vaccination, free g do IAL exam. fo a gs, r ina cats , t ow ion , Call to schedule now 541.426.3331 clinic would be virtually identi- cal to those followed at the oth- er clinics in town. This prompt- ed another audience member to ask Powers why another clinic was needed when two were al- ready within walking distance of the school. “We think the clinics here and the hospital do a wonderful job. Why change what’s working?” that person asked. Enterprise school counselor Julie Garland replied the clin- ic was needed on site for chil- dren who did not have access to health or dental care for one reason or another. “After being here for ¿ve years, I’ve seen it happen with multiple children. My heart is with those children who don’t get care unless it’s at school,” Garland said. She added that many children who need health care are too young to walk to the clinic alone. Powers added that another difference was that the opt-out prevented affected children from accessing school clinic resources until the age of 18, while standard clinics offered no such option. A number of people sug- gested hiring a school nurse as an alternative, and Enterprise School Superintendent Brad Royse replied the school bud- get had no room for a nurse, Thank You A big thank you to all of my many friends and relatives who sent cards, prayers, food, phone calls and warm thoughts winging my way. A special thanks to the awesome members of the Joseph United Methodist church. I love you all. Janie Tippett and the clinic did not place a ¿nancial burden on the school. He also cited other reasons. “I didn’t approve of this to usurp anyone’s authority. It was to provide needy kids and fam- ilies with access to care. We see kids every day with no one to turn to that our hearts are crying for,” Royse said. He also cautioned parents worried about losing parental authority. “I can tell you from personal experience that you don’t have the rights you think you do. Your angst is going to- ward them (the Winding Waters panel) and it needs to go toward your legislators,” he said. Royse also said that while the school board had initially approved of the health center, the topic was still up for dis- cussion at future school board meetings. The meeting ended 40 min- utes over its one-hour schedule with parents and the Winding Waters panel agreeing to an- other meeting to answer further questions. Shannon Vernam said she hadn’t been given notice about the meeting and only heard about it through social media. She added the meeting hadn’t allayed her concerns. “I’m still extremely con- cerned regarding parents being taken out of the medical care of their children. I don’t think they (Winding Waters) have an opt- out program. I know they’re saying they do, but I don’t know how strong it is, and I’m very concerned about that. I don’t think we need the (health center) at our school,” she said. Powers was more upbeat about the night’s exchange. “I’m glad that people came because it’s important to ask questions and talk. I think hav- ing some clarity on the issue, on what (the school-based health center) is and what it’s not is important, and I hope we got some of that across tonight,” Powers said. Wallowa County Chess Club Welcome Tourists and Players of all levels! Thursdays 4 to 8 PM FREE! WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO HOMES? JOSEPHY CENTER FOR ARTS AND CULTURE HINT: IT HAS TO DO WITH SAVING ENERGY AND MONEY. 403 Main Street Joseph, Oregon /CJPBCORJCJH@NHD@I>TPKBM@DIO@MHNJA HJHAJMODIB@I@MBTPN@JNO I@MBT/MPNOJA*M@BJI>JIOM<>OJM@IODQ@NOCJNOJALP@N JPG?N@IOJITJPMCJH@@I@MBT>JNONRCDG@IJOCFJI>JHAJMO + .OPNOJH@MNJA+JMOGOMD> +<>D—>+JR@M)2)