Flanked by local health care leaders, Mayor Mike McGinn today called on Seattle to vote “Yes” on the Families & Education Levy so the City can continue providing successful “wrap around” services, including student health centers, to Seattle’s public school students.

If re-approved by voters, the City’s Families & Education Levy will provide nearly $232 million in continued funding for:

• School-based health clinics in middle and high schools that any student can use;
• Early learning programs, like health screenings and preschool for low-income kids;
• Extra learning time for kids struggling to get to high school;
• Sports programs and transportation at every middle school; and
• After-school and summer programs.

Approximately $44.4 million, or 18.8 percent, of the $231.5 million levy will provide continued funding for health clinics in middle and high schools where any student can go to receive physical, mental, and dental health support.

Mayor McGinn praised the Levy, noting that “We owe our kids the chance to succeed. At a time of deep state cuts in education dollars, our city is standing up and enhancing our funding for proven programs for our kids. The students who use the health centers funded by the Families & Education Levy have fewer absences, higher GPAs, and are less likely to drop out of school. This is about graduating ready for a career or post-secondary education. This is about Seattle competing in the global economy in the 21st century. And a renewal of the Levy will help expand our circle of prosperity so that every student, in every neighborhood, gets and stays on the path to success.”

Neighborcare CEO Mark Secord joined McGinn in calling for renewal and enhancement of the seven-year Levy. "Neighborcare Health operates school-based health centers in six middle schools and high schools in the Seattle School district. We provide preventative health care, including immunizations and mental health counseling. Many of these schools are located in diverse, low-income neighborhoods where students may have difficulty accessing health care. With a school-based health center, teens can get care at the school they attend each day, develop trusting relationships with medical and mental health care providers on site, and get the services they need to get healthy, stay healthy and succeed. The Families and Education levy makes this possible. We urge voters to support the levy to help ensure that no student goes without the health care they need."

Seattle’s school-based health centers provide health care to over 5,000 public school students each year. Whether it’s a routine sports physical or a complicated emotional issue, student-based health centers provide critical support for Seattle students.

Laura Rehrmann, President for Group Health Foundation and Vice President for Group Health Cooperative Community Responsibility, noted that for many kids, Levy-funded clinics provide their only opportunity to access health care. "Group Health supports school-based health centers that serve any student — with or without health insurance. For some young people, the school based health center is the sole source of health care or mental health care. Without school-based health centers, many problems, both physical and emotional, would go untreated, leaving students less able to succeed in school. The health centers funded by the Families & Education Levy help keep students healthy and ready to learn."

School-based health centers are currently located in all ten comprehensive high schools: West Seattle, Chief Sealth, Rainier Beach, Roosevelt, Ballard, Ingraham, Nathan Hale, Cleveland, Franklin and Garfield. They’re also located in four middle schools: Washington, Aki Kurose, Denny and Madison.

The renewed Levy will add health clinics at Mercer Middle School and the Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center and will bring health services to the Intergancy Schools and two clusters of elementary schools, as a pilot.

"Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center students come to school from all over the world and their needs are as diverse as the places from which they come,” said Teresita Batayola, CEO of International Community Health Services. “Some haven’t received proper immunizations and many have never received reliable health care. The student health center ICHS manages at SBOC makes sure kids get healthy and stay healthy so that they can have success in the classroom and after they graduate.”

Paul Barry of Swedish Medical, which runs the Ballard High School Teen Health Center, observed that many of the challenges kids face go beyond physical health. "As a Mental Health Therapist at Ballard High School, I have a unique view into the emotional challenges young people face. Depression and anxiety disorders can significantly interfere with learning. Relationship problems and family issues can weigh on a child in ways that often go unrecognized, can cause great pain and derail emotional development. The support provided by the Families & Education Levy makes sure our kids are healthy both inside and out, and are able to lead productive lives when they graduate from high school."

Should Seattle voters re-approve the Families & Education Levy, the initiative will provide $231,562,000 in support services to students and their families over the next seven years. Based on an average estimated residential assessed value of $462,045 in 2012 and of $567,971 in 2018, the estimated annual cost to the average homeowner will be $124 (about $10 per month) in 2012 and $126 in 2018.

The Levy is on the November general election ballot. For votes to be counted, ballots must be postmarked no later than 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 8, and the voter oath on the back of the return envelope must be signed. Voters may also deliver their signed ballots to a ballot drop box until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8, 2011. Ballots submitted after 8:00 p.m. will not be accepted.