Tri-Area, FCPS plans to launch school-based health center in the fall
The collaboration is being funded by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), as is the in-person clinic, through a separate grant.
Tri-Area Community Health is partnering with Floyd County Schools to open a school-based health center for in-person visits in the fall of 2026. The site will be located inside the annex in the parking lot of Floyd Elementary School (FES), which means that FES and Floyd County High School students will have access to the clinic, and the other schools will be connected via technology.
Beginning this month, Tri-Area has started offering free tele-mental health services for students, their families, and school personnel across the district. This initiative aims to improve access to quality mental health care and support the emotional well-being of the school community.
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The collaboration is being funded by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), as is the in-person clinic, through a separate grant. Price Buildings Inc. is doing the renovation work.
All the approximately 1,600 Floyd County Schools students and 350 employees can be seen at the clinic for primary medical and mental health care. People who need more comprehensive services or who are not eligible to be seen at the school-based site can be seen at the Tri-Area clinic in Floyd.
Pam Hylton, Director of School-Based Services at Tri-Area, said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Floyd County Schools to provide services to their students and staff, both onsite and using technology. The telehealth component will help students in more remote areas of the county access timely care, reducing the need for caregivers to spend hours transporting them to and from appointments. We appreciate the District providing and designing the space to meet our needs. We look forward to helping students and staff conveniently address their healthcare needs.”
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Dr. Jessica Cromer, Superintendent of Floyd County Schools, said that the school system is "excited to begin this new partnership with Tri-Area Community Health to provide health services to the students and staff of Floyd County Schools. In many instances, our students do not have immediate access to healthcare providers and/or mental health services. This partnership will help alleviate those concerns in the near future. We appreciate the efforts of the Tri-Area Community Health staff in working to bring these services to our school system. This is just another way that our school division and partnering agencies can better meet the needs of our community.”
Tri-Area's Sheila Carico explained that children will be able to be seen during the school day, either by-appointment or through their school nurse. "If the child is sick and needs to go home, the parents can pick them up, and the provider can go ahead and send any prescriptions to their pharmacy," she said. "Parents can come to the appointments as well or join by video."
In regard to payment, most insurance and Medicaid will be accepted and billed. There will also be a sliding scale option for those without insurance.
Tri-Area Community Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and a nonprofit organization with community locations in Cana, Ferrum, Floyd, Fries, Grayson Highlands, and Laurel Fork; and school-based clinics in collaboration with Galax City Public Schools, the Carroll County Public School District, and Grayson County Public Schools. Tri-Area's mission is to improve the quality of life of our patients and our communities by providing affordable, high-quality, comprehensive care and services.
For more information, call 866-942-0401 or visit www.triareahealth.org.
