The Child and Adolescent Health Center (CAHC) of the Saginaw County Department of Public Health and Saginaw Intermediate School district provides services to middle school students attending Bridgeport-Spaulding, Buena Vista Ricker, and St. Charles Thurston Middle Schools.  A nurse is on-site at each of the three middle schools from one to three days per week.

The Child and Adolescent Health Center registered nurse provides services to students after they have been referred to the CAHC by a school staff member/teacher, parent, or as requested by the student.

Students are assessed when seen by the nurse using the American Medical Association’s Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS) assessment tool. The survey asks the student numerous questions to determine if areas of health risk exist.  If areas of risk are identified, the CAHC nurse provides individual health counseling and/or referral to resource agencies in the community.

The CAHC has five educational and preventive health focus areas. These areas are:

• Tobacco prevention
• Teen pregnancy prevention
• Violence prevention
• Nutrition and Fitness
• HIV/AIDS prevention

The CAHC nurse provides health educational opportunities for the students attending the three served middle schools.  Health-related presentations are scheduled for the students and presented by the CAHC nurse and/or local resource agencies.  Presentations are designed in the format of the Michigan Model of Education to enhance the academic advancement of the middle school students. Presentations are individually designed to augment the course plan of the teachers.

For more information call 989-758-3663.