By Ema Sasic August 7, 2019
The first day of school is just a few days away and school supplies are not the only items parents need to cross off their back-to-school checklist.
Bakersfield City School District's four wellness centers are encouraging parents to stop by to make sure their children have all their required immunizations before the first day of school and are ready for the upcoming school year.
The district has recently opened school wellness centers to promote physical, mental and emotional health. Students enrolled in transitional kindergarten/kindergarten to eighth grade can utilize one of the four wellness centers.
"If they're sick, they can come in here, and if they need any medications, they'll be seen by a nurse practitioner and get the attention they need," said Dulce Mejia, a school social worker. "The first day is busy to try to get everything done that day. If you need physicals, immunizations, any forms, make sure you get that done before the day starts."
Services include physical examinations and wellness exams, immunizations, individual, group and family therapy and grief counseling. Other partners include dental visits and optometrists.
Services are free to parents, whether or not they have health insurance.
One student, Stella Hills Elementary School sixth grader Malachi Diaz, was getting his back-to-school physical out of the way Monday at the Jewett Avenue Wellness Center, the newest one that opened in April. He has utilized the center for different reasons.
"They give me treatments and help me and make me laugh at the same time," he said. "I got an eye exam here and glasses."
His mother, Jessica Diaz, also said they received a referral to Valley Children's Hospital for his asthma.
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