 
School-based Health Centers Provide Lifeline During the day, Mackenzie fought off kisses and any other affection. The neurological brain disorders that have haunted her since birth filled her with aggression. At times, she lashed out at her mother, punching her and grabbing her around the neck. Then, horrified at her own behavior, she would talk of killing herself. At the age of 12, in 6th grade, Mackenzie has found a new cocoon. At Lake Middle School in Denver, health experts are always available at the school-based health center. Mackenzie can stop in for help with mental or physical ailments. Now, when she steps off the bus after school, she greets her mother with that same brilliant smile that used to appear only in her sleep. “I see it every day now,’’ Beauvais-Nikl said. “I was so anxious about her starting middle school. But, here, she’s safe. She’s cared for. She’s not just a number in this huge group of kids. And, she’s learning and doing homework. She still has struggles. But this place is a lifeline.’’ Clinics like the one at Lake Middle School got a boost when The Colorado Trust awarded $1 million over the next two years to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to expand health clinics in schools across the state. Currently, there are 40 clinics statewide with an additional four planned for the next year. Terencia Beauvais-Nikl knows that there are countless children for whom school-based care is vital. She said the clinic has helped her daughter with a range of issues from the simple to the complex. Mackenzie used to fight immunizations and it would take several adults to hold her down. This year, because of her relationship with the clinic staff, getting six shots was relatively painless. Mackenzie’s mental health needs are much more complex. She was just two weeks old when Beauvais-Nikl and her husband adopted Mackenzie. They soon realized that something was amiss. Eventually, doctors diagnosed Mackenzie with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and developmental issues on the autism spectrum. For her mom, the clinic support is vital. “It really helps to have wraparound services. Everyone knows Mackenzie.’’ As mother and daughter talk, they are always touching, fingers intertwined or shoulders nestled together. “I cry when I think about how far she has come,’’ said Beauvais-Nikl. For more information about The Trust’s Colorado School Health Improvement efforts, please contact Laurel Petralia, Program Officer, 303-837-1200 or laurel@coloradotrust.org. |