Detroit Public Schools Community District’s Health Hubs have been instrumental in improving attendance and supporting families. The hubs, launched in 2023, provide a range of services including vision and hearing screenings, medical, dental, and mental health care, as well as housing, utility assistance, and legal services.
Supporting Families
Navigators like Jerrica Mickens play a critical role in the Health Hubs, getting to know school communities and discerning their needs. They lead parents through a complex web of district resources, social services, and nonprofit assistance, serving as a one-stop-shop to triage the root causes that keep students from regularly attending school.
The hubs have contributed to improved attendance in the district and helped thousands of families, officials say. From July 1, 2023, through June 14, the hubs served families 19,200 times and more than 1,100 referrals were made.
Impact on Students
Students like Jaiden Mabins have benefited from the Health Hubs. After his home burned down, Mickens helped him find a new place to live, provided him with new clothes and school supplies, and assisted him with his post-secondary plans.
The Health Hubs have also connected students with vision and hearing screenings, as well as medical, dental, and mental health care. Around 185 pairs of glasses have been given to kids in the district since the hubs opened.
The district’s chronic absenteeism rate decreased by 5.2 percentage points last year compared to 2022-23, the last year before the hubs opened. Academic performance has also improved, with third-grade reading proficiency and graduation rates reaching historic highs last year.
Original reporting: BridgeDetroit — read the source article.
