NY State Senator Luis Sepúlveda Visits New School Based Health Center in the Bronx

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Sophia Guida

NY State Senator Luis Sepúlveda Visits New School Based Health Center in the Bronx

October 9, 2019

On October 8, 2019, the Institute staff was pleased to welcome NY State Senator Luis Sepúlveda to our newest school based health center at the James M. Kieran School (JHS 123) in the Soundview neighborhood of the Bronx.

Senator Sepúlveda met with Co-Medical Directors Elizabeth Ring and Kathryn Blouin, Practice Administrator Rachel Evans and Lead Nurse Practitioner Airy Quiros. The Senator said he was excited to see the new health center and he was particularly interested in opportunities to provide nutrition counseling and outreach to students via the health center.

Senator Sepúlveda was elected to the State Senate in 2018 to represent the Bronx’s 32nd District, which includes much of the south and east Bronx. From 2013-2018, he served in the New York State Assembly, representing the 87th District. A tireless advocate for expanding economic and social services in his district, he has previously assisted the Institute in obtaining capital funds for the Stevenson Family Health Center in the Bronx. He is also a member of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus.

The new school based health center opened its doors on the first day of school at the James M. Kieran School, a junior high school campus serving around 500 students. The health center serves both schools located on the campus: The Bronx Urban Community STEAM Magnet School and the School for Inquiry and Social Justice. Like the Institute’s school based health centers in Manhattan, this center aims to address students’ health needs on-site, rather than forcing students to miss school to access services elsewhere. All students can access care regardless of their ability to pay or their immigration status.