Cleveland, GA – August 2022 – MedLink Georgia and White County Schools have officially opened the doors to the Warrior Wellness Center which will serve the students and staff at the White County School System. This is the first school-based health center located in Northeast Georgia. In partnership with MedLink Georgia, the Warrior Wellness Center will provide necessary health care and resources to students, faculty and staff, and families for many years to come. The health center is opening at a time when access to health care is critical due to the current demands of the global pandemic and recent resurgence of COVID cases with the new Omicron variant.
“I am very excited about our new partnership with MedLink as we work to provide for our students and staff and make our community a healthier place,” said Superintendent of White County Schools, Dr. Laurie Burkett. Access to quality health care is crucial to the academic success of students. White County Schools and MedLink Georgia hope that an on-site health center will help close learning gaps due to student illness and health-related absenteeism. This health center was made possible through operational grants received from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Additional grant funds from a Department of Education School Based Health Center grant provided resources to renovate an already existing building on the White County High School campus. The center is located on the White County High School campus at 2648 Hwy 129 North in Cleveland, Georgia.
“We are so grateful for the opportunity to support the health and wellness of students and the community through our partnership with the school system. The MedLink Warrior Wellness Center is an impactful step towards ensuring that a lack of accessible health care does not stand in the way of a students’ ability to thrive and receive the excellent education they deserve,” said MedLink Georgia Chief Executive Officer, Dave Ward. “‘The aim of school-based health centers (SBHCs) is to enhance academic achievement through improving the health of
students. Students learn best when they are healthy, present, and have access to the healthcare they need.,” said Ward.
The health center has three examination rooms, a lab space, and will eventually offer an office for counseling and mental health support. The facility will be operated daily by MedLink Georgia’s staff in partnership with White County School System. “The partnership with White County Schools is in complete alignment with our mission to provide exceptional primary health care to the medically underserved. We have already been serving White County through primary care, behavioral health, and nutrition services at our health campus located on White Street since 2015. We are proud to say we are now a part of the ‘Warrior Wellness Center’ and are excited for the opportunity to serve the students and faculty,” said Ward.
MedLink Georgia is a Federally Qualified Community Health Center providing quality, professional healthcare to over 51,000 Georgians in rural areas and serving Northeast Georgian communities since 1979. As part of their mission, they are dedicated to their patients, their needs, and their communities within the Northeast Georgia region. MedLink Georgia has 24 convenient locations providing a wide variety of patient care tailored to the needs of the community in which it serves.
