By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
At a time when more Americans are facing the loss of health insurance, a school-based community health center is being planned in the northern tip of Wood County.
The Wood County Health Department’s new health center will be located in a Northwood Local School District building – but will serve anyone in the surrounding communities.
“The timing of the site in Northwood couldn’t come at a better time,” said Lindsey Ruivivar, CEO of the Community Health Center at Wood County Health Department. “Due to various changes with the health insurance marketplace, people going without health insurance is on the rise. Our health center is here to provide access to care to everyone, regardless of their insurance status.”
The school-based site will begin operations in early 2027, offering primary medical care services in the 3,000 square space available on the Northwood school campus. Just as the community health center functions at the health department offices in Bowling Green, this new facility will operate on a sliding fee scale.
“We are a community health center. We do not let cost be a barrier to care,” Ruivivar said. “That makes us different than other providers.”
The new health center will offer services to the many people who currently have no affordable options to health care, and end up putting off care till they have to seek services at hospital emergency departments or urgent care providers.
“We look forward to bringing this resource to the Northwood community,” Ruivivar said.
The new facility will have two examination rooms and lab space, which will be staffed with a family nurse practitioner, and one or two medical assistants. In the future, it is hoped the site will be able to provide a full dental staff and behavioral health services, Ruivivar said.
“We know it’s a huge need,” she said. “There are so many people going without dental care.”
Ruivivar reported on the school-based community health center plans in August to the Wood County Commissioners. She said the center will reduce barriers to care by accepting all types of health insurance – or those with no insurance at all.
“The uninsured rate has continued to creep up,” she said. “We play a really important role.”
Ruivivar stressed the site will serve far more than the approximately 900 students enrolled in Northwood schools.
“To really help the students you have to serve the whole family,” she said.
The goal will be to provide care to at least 1,600 patient visits a year.
During that meeting with the county commissioners, Ruivivar noted that the $200,000 grant funding for the new health center was short $91,000 – with $30,000 alone needed to install a door that would not allow the public access to the student areas of the school. The commissioners did not offer to help fill that gap.
So also in August, Ruivivar asked the Wood County Board of Health to help with the $91,000. She explained the tight timeline for the state grant funding, and the fact that the bids received for the necessary renovations at the school were only good for 30 days.
While the board of health supported the school-based health center concept, a couple members questioned the bids coming in 50% higher than budgeted.
“That’s a red flag for me,” board of health member Richard Strow said. “All of the sudden, the levy fund gets stuck with the bill.”
The health department is required by the state to fulfill public health mandates – many without state funding attached. Those “core public health services” include:
- Disease prevention and epidemiology
- Community health and prevention
- Environmental health protection
Strow agreed the school-based health center project is important, but voiced concern that it’s already operating with a deficit.
Health center board member Jerry Greiner said that board is continuing to seek funding from private donors and county government.
“But we’re faced with having to make a decision tonight,” Strow said. “We’re asked to take a leap of faith. We’re spending down reserves already.”
But others on the board of health felt it was important for that board to step up to help with funding.
“This is serving our mission,” said health board member Nilgun Sezginis.
“I think this is going to be a valuable facility,” health board member Bob Midden said. “This is an investment. I think it’s worth the risk.”
The board voted to put $91,000 toward the project.
Ruivivar said the health center maintains reserves to provide financial stability, protect the ability to operate during unexpected circumstances, and help the center meet reserve requirements.
“We are trying to fund this capital project through grants and donations so that we can complete the project without materially reducing the reserves that protect the organization,” she said.
To complete Phase 2 of adding dental services to the Northwood site, it would cost an estimated $1 million, according to Ruivivar. The center board will try to raise funds for that addition by looking for more grant opportunities and contributions, she said.
Though the work of the community health center has been praised by the board of health, there have been lingering concerns about the center’s billing process leading to slow and low reimbursements by health insurance.
Interim Wood County Health Commissioner Rachel Aeschliman said the timing and amount of health care centers reimbursements are at the whim of insurance companies.
“It can create challenges,” Aeschliman said.
At the last joint meeting of the health board and health center board, the new CFO of the health center, Chaunta Tsegaye, explained her efforts to improve reimbursement amounts and cut down on the return time.
“This is absolutely going to speed up the reimbursements,” Ruivivar said. “It will speed up how quickly that revenue comes in the door.”
Because of the lack of public transportation in the geographically large Wood County, Ruivivar said the health center board may be looking at the possibility in the future of another location on the southern edge of the county. The board is aware of health care access issues in the North Baltimore area, she said.
“Countywide, public transportation is challenging,” she said. “We know there’s a need down there.”
Aeschliman said the health department is always looking for ways to improve public health.
“Access to care is a priority in the Wood County Health Improvement Plan,” she said. “Health centers serve anyone.”
