The Eagle/Kim Kell
Staff at the School-based Health Center located at Grant Union include family nurse practitioner Karen Triplett, left,
coordinator and registered nurse Jessica Winegar, support staff Cindy Baker and mental health counselor SaraJane Moore.
School-based health offers primary care
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY – The School-based Health
Center located at Grant Union Junior-Se-
nior High School offers health care for Grant
County students and school staff.
“I’m really excited that it’s something
we’re able to offer to Grant County to provide
them with an alternative and help keep them
in school,” said coordinator Jessica Winegar.
“It’s just down the hallway, for Grant Union
students.”
She wants to let residents know the ser-
vices are available for all Grant County
school-age students and school staff, not just
those living in John Day.
Winegar is a registered nurse and also
manages the Grant County Health Depart-
ment.
She said the goal of the school-based
health center is to work with families to pro-
vide health services, regardless of ability to
pay.
Family nurse practitioner Karen Triplett
is at the school 10 hours a week, 8 a.m.-12
p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 1-3 p.m.
Wednesdays. She can prescribe medication,
if needed.
Registered nurses Winegar or Jenni Work-
28 || FAMILY HEALTH GUIDE 2016
The health center offers sports physicals,
vaccinations and well-child visits.
Patient care also includes: primary care,
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well as help for headaches, freezing off
moles, checking for infection in wounds, and
checking iron level, hearing, vision, height
and weight.
Winegar stated they do not distribute con-
doms or other forms of birth control at the
The Eagle/Kim Kell
school.
Ready for a work day at the School-
School vaccinations are given mainly on
based Health Center at Grant Union
Tuesday afternoons.
Junior-Senior High School in John
Winegar has taken over where Lindsay
Day are Cindy Baker, left, and
Maghan left off as coordinator last school
Jessica Winegar.
year.
“Karen Triplett and Lindsay Maghan
man are available on Tuesdays from 12-5 worked very hard to get this going, along
p.m.
with other Grant County Health Department
Cindy Baker who provides staff support at and Community Counseling Solutions staff,”
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Winegar said. “They did a wonderful job, and
7KHRI¿FHLVORFDWHGDWWKHQRUWKHQGRIWKH I’m happy to be a part of the Grant County
school inside the main building.
Health Department.”
Mental health counselor SaraJane Moore
The medical sponsor for the health center
is available Tuesdays, Wednesdays and at Grant Union is the county health depart-
Thursdays 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
ment.
Winegar said mental health counseling is
Winegar said appointments may be
a welcome and much needed addition to the made by calling the health department
health center, with Moore available to help at 541-575-0429, and walk-ins are also
with mental health crises on a routine basis.
welcome.