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Article Date: 09/29/2008

Bassett Hosts National Symposium on Rural School-Based Health - October 17 and 18, 2008
Bassett Healthcare will host the National Rural School-Based Health Symposium on Friday and Saturday, Oct.17 and 18, 2008, at The Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown. The conference is for physicians, nurse practitioners, and mental health and educational professionals, who are interested in establishing or growing existing school-based health programs throughout the rural United States. The public is also welcome--pre-registration is required for all attendees.

School-based health centers (SBHCs) are a vital part of the health care safety net for children, and the demand for school-based primary care continues to grow. There are nearly 2,000 SBHCs nationwide. More than 200 of these are located in New York. Bassett's Department of Pediatrics operates 13 SBHCs in nine school districts within a four-county area in upstate New York, making it the largest rural school-based health program in the state. Last year, Bassett's SBHC student visits totaled 14,463 - an increase from just under 10,000 student visits in 2006.

Studies show that SBHCs reduce emergency room visits, prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, and improve school attendance and access to mental health services. In many cases, SBHCs are also the entry point into the health care system for high-risk adolescents who have no other access to either primary care or mental health services.
The National Rural School-Based Health Symposium includes clinical, mental health and operations tracks. Topics range from dental and mental health to asthma, evaluation, productivity and quality improvement. The featured speaker at Friday night's dinner is John Schlitt, former executive director of the National Assembly for School-Based Health Care.

Bassett Healthcare gratefully acknowledges the following sponsors whose support helps to ensure that children in rural upstate New York have access to quality health care: lead sponsor, MVP Health Care; breakfast sponsor, Bassett Institute for Learning; media sponsor, WKTV Channel 2, Utica; lunch sponsors, NYSUT a union of professionals, Paradigm Funds; gift bag sponsor, School Health Corporation; supporting sponsors, Cooperstown Rotary Club, Howe Caverns, Inc.

Proceeds from the symposium benefit the Bassett Healthcare School-Based Health Program Children's Fund, which supports students whose families do not have insurance coverage and cannot afford services outside of the school-based health center sites, including laboratory tests, x-rays, specialty consultations, prescriptions, eyeglasses and medications. For more details or to register, go to: www.nationalruralsbhsymposium.org.

Website Address: http://www.nypsystem.org/press/2008/09/bassett-hosts-national-symposi.html

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