About Healthy Kids School-Based Clinics

Healthy Kids School-Based Clinics have been serving children and youth living in Johnson and Washington Counties for 16 years. We provide FREE primary care services for children from birth through high-school graduation who are uninsured, who cannot afford high deductibles/copays or who experience extreme barriers to accessing healthcare. We offer high quality, evidence based, cost-effective and patient-centered healthcare inside school buildings for kids who have no other option.

The clinic began as a collaboration between ICCSD, Mercy Hospital, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC), and United Way. The clinics have also received support from many community agencies and providers over the ensuing years.

The clinics are currently located inside City High School, Northwest Junior High School and Southeast Junior High School. We travel to West High School once a month during the school year and occasionally to other schools when requested. The clinic at Southeast welcomes children from all schools and children of all ages from Johnson and Washington Counties, even infants and toddlers. Parents are encouraged to attend appointments.

We offer medical appointments 14 hours per week during the school year and 8 hours per week in the summer.

We try to alleviate barriers to care whenever possible. For example, we provide taxis for those without transportation. We have staff who speak Spanish and hire in-person interpreters for other languages. Parents or guardians must give consent but are not required to accompany teens to every appointment which decreases time away from work. We also help with the cost of medications, lab tests, glasses and more so kids can actually obtain the treatments they need.

Current services include:

  • preventive health care

  • care coordination

  • mental health care

  • management of acute and chronic illness

  • dental care

  • vision care

  • referrals for lab tests, xrays and specialty care