The School-Based TeleHealth (SBTH) program is a collaboration between Richland County School District One (RCSD 1) and Prisma Health-Midlands to provide education and health care services in the Lower Richland Community. This project serves some of the neediest families in the regions. Since public schools are generally easily accessible to the community, Prisma Health-Midlands’ Office of Community Improvement successfully developed and implemented a telehealth/telemedicine program which provides health education for elementary school students.
The funding from USDA Rural Development was initially to be used exclusively for educational services. However, after further investigation, the project was expanded to include clinical services to students. In the end, a $268,949 grant was awarded to Prisma Health Midlands Foundation for the project with a matching funds commitment of $105,000 from Prisma Health.
This program allows students with health needs to be instantly connected to a Prisma Health -Midlands nurse practitioner for non-emergency needs and have prescriptions sent to their pharmacy of choice following the visit. In addition, it aids the school nurses. TeleHealth has been amazing for me because I have been able to be ‘hands on’ with the diagnosing aspect,” said Shantoria Brown, who is a nurse at Richland School District One.
The clinical telehealth program is aimed toward helping students feel better quicker, reducing missed time from school, reducing parents missed work days and assisting by eliminating transportation barriers.
The program model is receiving great feedback on the content and model of delivery. It currently serves as the telehealth program hub across the Midlands for school health.
Information on the USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine program is available online at https://www.rd.usda.gov/sc.
To see if you might qualify, please contact your local servicing Area Office at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices/sc.
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