Rison School To Get On-Campus Clinic

RISON - Mainline Health Systems, Inc., will be opening an on-campus clinic at the Rison School campus this year after the Cleveland County School Board approved an agreement with the Monticello-based company during its regular monthly meeting last Thursday night.Meanwhile, the board also approved the hiring of new boys and girls basketball coaches, and granted board-to-board transfer requests during what was new new Superintendent Davy King's first school board meeting.King officially took over as superintendent on July 1. He suc-ceeds Jerrod Williams, who completed his one-year contract wth the district on June 27. King, a Rison native, was previously director of athletics, maintenance and transportation for the district, The board's decision to enter into an agreement with Mainline Health came after a presentation from the company's Ashley Anthony and Amanda Gilbert. Mainline already has school clinics in the Dermott, Hamburg, Lake Village, Sheridan, Star City and Warren school districts. Mainline also has a traditional healthcare clinic at Rison.Gilbert said all school clinics are staffed with nurse practitioners and offer general medical care. She said some offices also offer dental services and some even provide mental health, noting that the school district decides which services to offer.There is no direct cost to the district to have the clinic, it was explained. The district's only obligation is to provide the space, electricity, cleaning and furnishings for the clinic, which usually consists of some chairs and a desk. Mainline will provide the staff, equipment and supplies at no cost.One of the main benefits of having an on-campus clinic, Gilbert said, is that it can be used by both students and staff, eliminating the need to leave school when someone begins feeling sick at school.She explained that the school nurse would still be the first point of contact should a student not feel well. If the student's condit...