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SICK & WELL
HEALTH CARE
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PROMOTING
HEALTHY LIVING
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PREVENTING
DISEASE
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ABOUT US
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Health During the Teenage Years
Many of the services provided for teens are through the MESH Unit. Teenagers may also seek sick care,
immunizations, dental health and assistance with
sexual health issues through Wilkes County Health Department. The law requires provision of services
to minors upon their request without parental consent unless their lives are threatened. However, Wilkes County Health Department
does encourage minors to discuss their health needs with their parents or guardians.
MESH (Mobile Expended School Health)
The MESH unit is the recreational vehicle that has been outfitted to provide health services for high school students. Each student
must have a parent or guardian sign a consent form in order to be seen on the MESH unit. To register your student, please fill out
the form here and send it to the school office. For more information, please call WCHD at 651-7450.
Routine Services
A Registered Nurse and Certified Medical Assistant staff the unit Monday through Thursday. A Nurse Practitioner is available 10 hours
per week. Students receive immunizations, health assessments, treatment of acute illnesses, sports physicals, laboratory screenings,
injury care, Health Check physical exams and behavioral health
counseling. A Mental Health Counselor, funded by United Way, provides mental health services in each high school weekly on a rotating
and as-needed basis. The MESH unit may also arrange referrals for services that are either not available on the MESH Unit or beyond the
scope of their immediate care. Students may come to the MESH unit for personal counseling.
Sports physicals are provided at the cost of $15.00. All state supplied immunizations are free. Many
colleges and universities require freshman to provide proof of a recent physical examination and a current immunization record before
classes begin, college-bound seniors may take advantage of these services by seeing a MESH staff member.
Outreach Services
The MESH Unit may also coordinate prevention and health promotion
activities. A Health Promotion Specialist is also available, by request of the school faculty, to provide presentations on abstinence, refusal
skills, STD/ STI’s and contraceptives. The MESH unit also participates in health fairs – often providing hearing and vision
screenings. Finally, the MESH Unit supports the Smart Start Teen
Parenting program (see below). Teen parents receive pre- and post-natal health information, parenting skills classes, support services,
and referrals.
MESH Teen Parenting Program
The MESH Teen Parenting Program began over four years ago in the local high schools in an effort to provide pregnant teens or teenagers with
children with good parenting skills. Each month the teen mothers in the high schools receive a 30-minute education session. There are also
monthly night sessions at Smart Start that is open to teen parents not attending high school. Fathers may also attend night sessions of Teen
Parent meetings. Education is provided at each session on various topics ranging from Baby’s First Year of Development to the Importance of
Reading to Your Child. Smart Start is a major contributor of the program, providing childcare during programs, car seats, educational supplies
and staffing for some educational activities. A Registered Nurse, Certified Medical Assistant and Health Promotion Specialist also provide
staffing for the program.
The goals of the MESH Teen Parenting Program are to educate, support, encourage and promote healthy births; improve self-esteem; establish
supportive relationships among other teen parents; provide resource referrals; improve school attendance (those enrolled in school); and decrease
second pregnancies in teen years. Additional services include assistance in accessing prenatal care, monitoring of immunizations and birth weight
and counseling on an as-needed basis.
Teens under 19 years old who are pregnant or have children who are interested in learning more about the MESH Teen Parenting Program may
contact the Health Department at (336) 651-7450 or ask to be seen on the MESH unit (if parental consent has been given) while in school.
MESH School Schedule
The schedule for spring 2005 is as follows:
| East Wilkes High School |
Thursday |
12:30 pm to 3:00 pm |
| North Wilkes High School |
Tuesday
Thursday |
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
8:30 am to 11:30 am |
| West Wilkes High School |
Wednesday |
12:30 pm to 3:00 pm |
| Wilkes Central High School |
Wednesday
Monday |
8:30 am to 11:30 pm
9:00 am to 3:00 pm |
The Wilkes Career Education Center is served as needed.
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