Lowell School-Based Health Center
In 2022, the EcoDistrict partnered with the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic and Country Doctor Community Clinic, to help Lowell Elementary open a School-Based Health Center (SBHC). This site is the first to combine year-round adult and student healthcare resources with additional support services through a “community hub” model, which offers students and families resources for food, housing, and social services support with the backbone of accessible healthcare.
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The SBHC provides affordable, conveniently located, and easy-to-access healthcare services for students, their families, and school staff members, thus bridging the gap for families who do not consistently have access to care. The center aims to help remove physical, emotional, and behavioral health barriers to student success while strengthening relationships between the school and student families.
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Clinic lobby and resource desk
Behavioral and mental health clinic
Community and student workshop room
Children's primary care clinic
Why Lowell?
Lowell Elementary School is located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle and is the assigned elementary school for many downtown homeless shelters and many low-income families. The disproportionately high homeless and low-income student population faces many hardships, including a lack of access to healthcare and basic needs resources.
Why now?
In May 2018, parents, school staff, and community members identified Lowell as an opportunity for a well-placed SBHC site. As a result, Lowell received grant funds from Kaiser Permanente to support the planning process to establish the SBHC. By 2022, the SBHC opened its doors and began providing primary health care services, immunizations, dental care, vision care, mental health services, and behavioral health services.
What is next for the EcoDistrict at Lowell?
In 2022 the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict received a grant from the Department of Neighborhoods to launch the first food pantry in a Seattle Public School. The EcoDistrict, Lowell Elementary, and community stakeholders will collaborate to convert an existing family support room into a “grocery store” style food pantry, complete with a technology nook to apply for long-term support services, a food box delivery service. In addition to food services, the pantry will be the site of healthy eating education and events.
Special thanks to our partners:
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Lowell Elementary School
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Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic
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Country Doctor Community Health Center
Funders:
