Milford Central School Celebrates Bassett School-Based Health Center

Cooperstown, N.Y. – Bassett School-Based Health Program staff and Bassett Healthcare Network employees, as well as students, parents, administrators, and others at Milford Central School (MCS) attended an open house on Saturday, February 12, to celebrate the opening of the Milford School-Based Health Center and National School-Based Health Center Awareness Month. 

Milford’s school-based health (SBH) center opened last April. Recently, the health center held a contest for students to submit their own names for the center, and the selected name was announced by Dr. Douglas Cannon, Milford SBH center collaborating physician, at Saturday’s open house. The winning submission by 7th grader Brooke Stanford, “Wildcat Wellness Center”, ties in the school’s mascot with Milford’s new internal name for the health center.

MCS is one of 18 Bassett school-based health centers in Chenango, Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie counties, and last year there were 21,000 visits to these 18 centers. Studies show that SBH centers reduce emergency room and urgent care visits, prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and improve school attendance. Health education with a focus on wellness and prevention, including obesity prevention, is a primary goal of the school-based health centers.

The Bassett Healthcare Network provides 24-hour/7-day-a-week access to care, which assures continuity of health care when schools are closed.