Despite pleas from local students (including some West Slope Youth Voice students, like Kenya Contreras), District 51 rejected the plans for a healthcare clinic to be maintained in the newly constructed Grand Junction High School (GJHS).

The subject become controversial in Western Colorado when School District 51 took up the topic of school-based health care as the plans for the new GJHS. Within the existing building plans were several thousand square feet set aside for a school-based health center, much like what students have available in Central High School’s highly successful Warrior Wellness Center.

The school board expressed reservations regarding the program, mostly due to objections over the perceived lack of parental consent required to receive services. (This is actually a feature of Colorado’s law and is not unique to any healthcare center in Western Colorado.)

Both mental and physical healthcare have proven to be important issues for our West Slope Youth Voice students, who had previously championed the issue and made gains via legislative efforts in support of several successful Colorado House bills. WSYV students appeared at the hearings and argued in favor of the health care clinic.

Despite these efforts, the school board rejected the clinic. There have been suggestions they may target the Central clinic next.

You can read more information regarding the struggle on Colorado Public Radio’s website.

Here’s our story on the subject from the Clarion, Western Colorado Alliance’s quarterly publication.

And here’s the Colorado Public Radio story on the final decision.