Hawaii Island Community Health Center has launched School Based Health Centers offering convenient onsite care at Honaunau Elementary alongside Kealakehe Elementary and Intermediate Schools. The centers will provide keiki with equal access to quality health care on the spot.


What You Need To Know

  • The School Based Health Centers will provide primary care services, behavioral health care and dental services

  • Students with a signed consent form may be seen at their respective school

  • Signing up for school-based health care is optional, not mandatory

“Our School Based Health Centers should not replace routine care. Our goal is to provide care that is in addition to the care received at a child’s primary doctor’s office,” said Hawai’i Island Community Health Center CEO Richard Taaffe in a news release. “This is also a chance for children who don’t otherwise have access to health care to receive it easily in a school setting. Parents are so busy these days. It’s our hope that the convenience of a health center at school will reduce students' time away from school and parents' time away from work.”

The centers will have a primary care provider offering care services, including child exams, vaccinations, sports physicals, acute care visits (sick visits, injuries, etc.) and chronic care visits for conditions such as asthma, ADHD, allergies and others. The center also has access to behavioral health psychologists and pediatric dental teams. Operating hours will vary for each school.

Signing up for school-based health care is optional, not mandatory. Students with a signed consent form may be seen at their respective school.

Additional information is available at the Hawaii Island Community Health Center website, or call 808-333-3600 for the east side, or 808-326-5629 for the west side.

Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.