The Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending (CPF/CDS) funds will be used to support Tapestry 360 Health’s (T360H) project to relocate and expand the existing T360H school-based health center (SBHC) located at Gale Elementary School in Chicago. The proposed project relocates the existing clinic to a new space within the school in a more accessible location. T360H offers comprehensive, affordable, quality health care services across sixteen facilities including six school-based clinics at Chicago Public Schools. The T360H Gale SBHC is in one of the highest need census tracts on Chicago's northside. The area poverty rate is 26.7% overall but is significantly higher for the Blacks/African Americans who make up 38.6% of the population and have a poverty rate of 51.7%. Additionally, 18% of the population have less than a high school degree, 18.1% have a disability and 28.6% are limited English speakers. Of the Gale student population, 71% are low-income, 29% are English learners and 48% are chronically truant. The project is important to the local community as it will expand healthcare services for students and open-up access to the community. The proposed space has expanded square footage which allows for the number of exam rooms to be increased from two to four, and for a behavioral healthcare office to be added. There will also be a separate ADA compliant entrance for the community so local residents can access health services at the clinic. This will provide students and the community with the needed access to primary and behavioral health care. SBHC’s also improve attendance and graduation rates, making the Gale clinic critical for academic success. Annual patient numbers are expected to double to approximately 500 patients annually. The new revenue that will be generated from local area residents will also help ensure the long-term sustainability of the clinic as a service to the community. The new space has the ad
ded benefit of a properly working HVAC system. At the existing space, the system is in need of replacement. Primary care and urgent care will be provided at the new T360H Gale SBHC. Some specific services include vaccines, mental health counseling, psychiatry, medication management, reproductive health services, vision and hearing screening, and nutrition and reproductive health education.