Teen health center will debut in North Bend
August 13, 2008
By Laura Geggel
By autumn, teenagers will have an extra resource for their physical and mental health needs.The Snoqualmie Valley Community Network is partnering with a number of Valley organizations – Snoqualmie Valley School District, King County Public Hospital District No. 4, Friends of Youth and Encompass – to open a teen health center pilot program on Bendigo Boulevard North by the North Bend Theatre.
The pilot program will provide confidential, age-appropriate health and counseling services one night or afternoon a week, said Debby Peterman, the contracted teen health center coordinator for Snoqualmie Valley Community Network.
“We found there was a big need, particularly for high school kids and kids at Two Rivers School,” said Peterman, adding that no teenager lacking insurance will be denied service.
The North Bend Clinic is only two blocks away from Two Rivers School. Betsy Gutz, Substance Abuse Treatment Coordinator at Friends of Youth, who spends her office hours at Two Rivers School, called the pilot teen health center “wonderful.”
“All of the kids really need access to all of these resources,” Gutz said. “It’s two or three buses to get to Bellevue (to visit other health centers).”
Because the teen health center is not immediately adjacent to any of the schools, Peterman said it would not be eligible for the grant from the Washington State Department of Health. She is looking at other funding sources, such as sponsors from around the Valley.
Each of the partnering organizations involved with the health center will offer different services, with King County Public Hospital District No. 4 providing health care services and Friends of Youth offering staff for counseling services.
“Meetings will be held with appropriate school staff to establish referral arrangements, appointment scheduling and other details involved in linking the school and staff to the teen clinic,” Peterman wrote in an e-mail.
The health center’s staff may also work with the high school’s natural helpers by teaching them how to refer students to the center. Peterman said she also welcomed input from youth about how to make the health center teen friendly and accessible.
Scott Scowcroft, executive director of Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Foundation, said the pilot program could provide a foundation for a permanent teen health center.
“It’s a disappointment that we won’t have a full teen health center, but I’m delighted we’re doing this first step,” Scowcroft said.
The pilot program has no definite timeline for how long it will continue, Peterman said.
Sheila Hunter of Sno-Valley Counseling said the teen health center would provide a safe haven for youth.
“Many kids are not going to talk to parents if they think it will hurt their parents,” Hunter said. “We need a confidential mental health service in the Valley.”
Hunter said she thought a mobile service would be more effective in serving youth around the Valley than a permanent location, but Peterman said she determined that a mobile unit would be too costly to operate.
Other venues also proved to be inefficient. Even if Mount Si High School had room for a portable housing teen health center, the portable could cost more than $30,000, Peterman said.
Similarly, a health center located at a storefront would be expensive to design, equip and operate. The North Bend Medical Clinic, on the other hand, is already outfitted to medically evaluate patients.
Mount Si High School ASB Present Ben Olson said he looked forward to the teen health center.
“Teens need somewhere where it can be confidential and somewhere where they can say everything and get everything out,” Olson said.
Reporter Laura Geggel can be reached at 392-6434 x221 or lgeggel@snovalleystar.com.
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