Luxemburg-Casco School District utilize Bellin Health’s Community Health Worker, Bellin also provides a Licensed Athletic Trainer and a Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
The journey for the Luxemburg-Casco School District to improved health is a direct result of the Total Health partnership with Bellin Health.
“Partnership isn’t service-level based, it’s co-designed to meet the evolving needs of the population. The programs developed through our partnership with Bellin Health are empowering people and organizations throughout our community.” – Mike Snowberry, Director of Learning Services at L-C.
A True Meaning of Partnership: Bellin Health and Luxemburg-Casco Career Academy
Students and parents increasingly seek hands-on opportunities for career exploration and career readiness. Employers, pursuing alternative ways to rebuild their workforce, are ready to engage with them.
A new initiative that fits this bill is the Bellin College Healthcare Academy in partnership with Bellin Hospital. Starting in this 2022-23 academic year, it provides L-C students with a career pathway in healthcare for those interested.
Bellin College previously has offered individual healthcare-focused courses at high schools in Northeast Wisconsin – typically upper-level science classes – but this is its first full-scale healthcare program. Participating students can earn up to 42 college credits while in high school, allowing for both career exploration and the opportunity to get a leg-up on their post-secondary education.
Students who complete the Bellin College Healthcare Academy coursework while in high school have the potential to receive a bachelor’s degree in nursing at Bellin College after only two additional years of post-secondary study. Students essentially will have completed the entire first year of study at Bellin College while in high school.
The Bellin College Healthcare Academy is aimed at providing that career exploration to students, while creating a vigorous pipeline of young people who are interested in a healthcare career.
Traditionally in healthcare there is a belief that a high-school student is not appropriate for work within the healthcare field. We were able to demonstrate to Bellin Health through these interactions that our students are mature and career-focused, and their human resources personnel have started to look at students for employment opportunities within the Bellin Health system.
Initial coursework, which allows students to affirm their interest in the healthcare field, is rotating between the three participating high schools.
Upon completion of those introductory courses, students apply and interview for admittance into the Bellin College Healthcare Academy. Once accepted, they begin upper-level coursework, online and in-person at the Bellin College campus in Green Bay. At this point in their educational pathway, paid internship opportunities also are available to students.
While students can begin the healthcare-focused courses during their freshman year, all three school districts felt strongly that there should be entry points into the curriculum for older students.
Ultimately, Bellin College Healthcare Academy students will be well positioned for any of the Bachelor of Science programs at Bellin College.
A True Meaning of Partnership: Bellin Health and Luxemburg-Casco Community Health Worker
Bellin Health wants people to see Bellin Health outside the walls of the clinic and set free into the community. Bellin Health supports social needs of community members and fosters care. Bellin Health leads by asking the question, “What matters to you?” Rather than, “What’s wrong with you?”
In 2020, L-C and Bellin Health Leadership met and discussed the possibility of repurposing L-C’s part-time nursing services for its staff, to a resource navigator for students. There was a compelling need to provide more resources to the families and Bellin Health was willing to change the position and create a new position to grow this support.
This collaboration led to the creation of a Community Health Worker, who links people to non-healthcare resources such as employment, housing, transportation and access to a food pantry. Chelsea Brien serves in this role for L-C, using her Bellin Health resources to keep care local and meet the needs of the local population.
“Chelsea has been a vital component to bridge the gap between parents and school. She has helped many families in our building and community through the food bag delivery, providing clothing resources, and making sure families have access to school supplies,” said Ellie Wendorf, Primary School Counselor at Luxemburg-Casco. “Chelsea has also been incredibly helpful when it comes to setting up meetings between school and family. She has helped us immensely. Her ability to create positive relationships is essential when we work to create a positive experience for not only the student, but the entire family.”
She also keeps in touch with students and families by publishing a monthly newsletter sharing the collaborative efforts of the entire community.
“Chelsea is someone I communicate with on a regular basis to support students and families within our district. She helps provide support such as food bag delivery, creating the community clothing closet, reaching out to gather clothing donations, communicating with families to provide local resources and so much more,” said Danielle Garceau, Intermediate School Counselor at Luxemburg-Casco. “She is my go-to when I have questions on how to support a family and she works hard to ensure that all of their needs are met and wrap around care is provided so that all involved with the student are included.”
In addition to the Community Health Worker, Bellin Health also provides a Licensed Athletic Trainer and a Strength and Conditioning Specialist. These coaches offer one-on-one support to individual athletes throughout the year to help them be their best and remain healthy, while also offering coverage during athletic events during sports seasons.
The partnership also includes offering mental health first aid to school staff and community members. An Integrated Behavioral Health Model is implemented with the same licensed therapist offering services on-site within the schools and at the Bellin Health Luxemburg clinic.
“The true meaning of a partnership is the constant evaluation of a program or resource and making changes as necessary. Bellin Health is always seeking feedback on the status of our programs,” said Mike Snowberry, Director of Learning Services at Luxemburg-Casco. “Partnership isn’t service-level based, it’s co-designed to meet the evolving needs of the population.”
