Whitney Young Health is happy to announce that we are a runner-up in the University at Albany School of Public Health’s Capital Region PhotoVoice Contest. The premise of the contest was to show how WYH makes an impact in public health and social justice in the Capital Region.
Our submission was the photo above. Keahvae, a Sheridan Preparatory Academy student, receiving a new toothbrush after her well-child visit with Ab-Daya Johnson, a Medical Assistant with Whitney Young Health’s School-Based Health Center program.
Keahvae is one of over 1,000 students that Whitney Young Health serves at their three school-based health centers (SBHCs) in Albany, NY. SBHCs are a powerful tool for reducing racial and ethnic disparities. Many of the students that the SBHCs serve live in communities with a high incidence of drug and alcohol abuse, live in single-parent households, have experienced significant trauma, and have restricted resources to access healthcare. For some youth SBHCs are their only source for receiving counseling, health screenings, and immunizations. All of the services provided at the SBHC are at no cost to the family. Numerous studies have shown that SBHCs improve the health and mental health of children, preventing unnecessary hospitalizations, improve school attendance and avoid lost workdays for parents.