Healthcare in Toronto Schools

An excellent article, with good news.

A bold inner-city project brings medical care to kids at school

From the Toronto Star

One half day each week during the school year, physicians, pediatric specialists, a multilingual clinic coordinator and teachers work as a team to help families navigate language, financial, cultural and work barriers between them and the provincial health system.

The two-year project, a first in Ontario, came about in part as a result of disturbing numbers that emerged during hearing and vision screenings across Toronto public schools: 26 per cent of inner-city students either did not have valid OHIP cards (often they had expired) or had no health insurance at all.

Another finding, one year into the project: acute infections are common but learning disabilities and increasingly, a range of mental health issues, are also being detected. Early detection is a critical first step in obtaining specialized diagnosis and treatment for conditions like ADHD or autism.