ATSU and Corbin’s Legacy provide health screenings at local elementary school
Posted: May 21, 2019
On Wednesday, April 3, students and faculty from the physician assistant studies program at A.T. Still University (ATSU) launched a pediatric screening program at Emerson Elementary School in partnership with local nonprofit, Corbin’s Legacy. Through the program, students at Emerson, a Title I school, will receive regular health, vision, and hearing screenings, provided by ATSU students and faculty.
The program removes barriers to care for children in need and creates valuable learning opportunities for ATSU students. Because Emerson is a Title I school, many students are uninsured or underinsured, and would not otherwise receive critical health screenings. Through the program, children in need of follow-up care are referred to Adelante Healthcare, where Corbin’s Legacy covers their treatment costs.
“Students without health insurance are often from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and when health problems arise, they can interfere with learning, leading to increased risk of academic failure,” says Michelle DiBaise, DHSc, PA-C, ’14, professor at ATSU’s Arizona School of Health Sciences. “Chronic health problems such as asthma, vision and hearing issues, and pain from poor dentition can all affect a student’s success in school. This program attempts to level the playing field by providing Emerson students with free access to the care they need.”