Gresser Calls For Permanent Funding To Keep School-Based Clinics Open

She told a group of parents and nursing groups demonstrating outside P.S. 7 that a "proud tradition of providing health care in City schools since 1907 is at risk." Gresser, a former president of the Board of Education, said that universal access to health care was essential to Queens children.
"Poor, minority and immigrant children," she said, "cant learn when they are sick."
Gresser said there is a proven correlation between learning and health. She said sick children are more likely to miss school and when they are in class have a harder time learning because illnesses distract them.
Last week the Health and Hospitals Corp. found funding for the school-based clinics that will reportedly keep them open until next January.
But the temporary funding failed to satisfy dozens of parents who gathered to demand restoration of the entire school health program.
Agnes Gonzalez, whose 14-year-old son Ronald attends I.S. 145 in Woodside, carried a placard that read, "save the clinics," and said that upwards of 30 students a day are treated by the school nurse.
"We cant afford to lose these clinics," she said. "They are absolutely essential to the well being of our children."
Another demonstrator, Frank Castro, PTA president in School District 24, said that 2,500 children attend P.S. 7. He accused Mayor Giuliani of "playing games with our childrens lives."
Gresser agreed, adding, "the State Legislature should act to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates so that funds will be available for clinics.
"These rates have been frozen for 10 years," she said. "Its time for the Legislature to act now."