The Michigan School Nurses Association is calling for the state budget to be used to benefit school nurses

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Michigan Association of School Nurses (MASN) held a virtual press conference Tuesday morning calling for the state’s recently adopted budget to be used to provide nurses in schools.

According to MASN, there are 700 school nurses for every 1.5 million students in Michigan.

That’s one nurse for 2,142 students.

MASN says 600,000 students in Michigan have at least one chronic disease, and about 25% of students take medications daily.

Speakers on Tuesday included Holland Public Schools Superintendent Nick Cassidy.

“As we emerge from the pandemic, we increasingly recognize that attendance is now a serious issue for every school as we see the rate of students chronically absent has increased significantly, and school nurses will be a key part of solving this problem and keeping children in school,” Cassidy said .

West Michigan is well aware of the gaps in school health care, which is why Kalamazoo Family Health Center (FHC) is working to help.

Their mobile health clinic has been operating since January 2016.

The clinics are vehicles designed for medical offices that provide medical and dental care to students at 26 Kalamazoo Public Schools sites.

“We are coordinating this visit and making sure these children are getting preventive care as well as the emergency care they need,” FHC President and CEO Denise Crawford told News Channel 3.

Health care can be expensive for students and lower-income families. Therefore, FHC does not reject any student in need of care, regardless of socioeconomic status.

“We are dealing with these extenuating circumstances, which is why the Family Health Center is a safety net, which means that we do not deny care to anyone, including our children, and especially our children, regardless of their ability to pay,” Crawford said.

FHC has explored opportunities to further expand its resources into the Kalamazoo County area.

They are always looking for ways to fill the health care gap among students and continue to do so despite the nursing shortage.