CareSouth Carolina celebrates National School-Based Health Care Awareness Month

CareSouth Carolina is proud to celebrate National School-Based Health Care Awareness Month, recognizing the vital role that school-based health services play in improving student health and academic success.

For many students in rural communities, access to regular medical and dental care can be a challenge. CareSouth Carolina’s School-Based Health Services Program helps bridge that gap by bringing high-quality, compassionate care directly to students. Each year, CareSouth Carolina’s mobile units visit six school districts in the Pee Dee region, providing annual wellness visits, screenings, and dental services to thousands of children.

The school-based care program began in 2015 to address the growing need for accessible health services in rural schools. Initially launched in Chesterfield County, the program has since expanded to Lee, Dillon, Marlboro, and Darlington counties. Additionally, CareSouth Carolina’s Miles of Smiles Dental Program provides critical oral health services to children across the region, ensuring that students receive the dental care they need to thrive.

Recognizing the need for even more accessible care, CareSouth Carolina launched its School-Based Telehealth Program in 2021. This innovative service allows students who become sick at school to be seen on-site through telehealth, reducing the burden on parents and guardians who may struggle to secure same-day appointments with primary care providers. By providing timely medical care directly in schools, this program helps cut down on unnecessary urgent care visits and emergency room trips for illnesses that can be treated quickly via telehealth.

"As a community-based healthcare provider, we are committed to ensuring that every child has access to quality healthcare, regardless of where they live," said Kaitlin Hughes, Director of Mobile and Telehealth Services at CareSouth Carolina. "School-based health programs remove barriers to care, allowing students to stay healthy, focused, and ready to learn. By bringing healthcare into the school setting—including telehealth services—we can address health concerns early and help students reach their full potential both in and out of the classroom."

CareSouth Carolina has a dedicated school-based telehealth provider serving schools in Dillon, Marlboro, Chesterfield, and Lee counties. With state-of-the-art telehealth equipment placed in schools, the provider can easily assess ears, eyes, throat, and mouth, as well as listen to heart and lung sounds—replicating the experience of an in-person visit while ensuring students receive the care they need without having to leave school.

CareSouth Carolina remains dedicated to expanding and enhancing school-based healthcare programs to serve more students in need. Through these efforts, the organization continues to provide essential healthcare services that contribute to healthier, stronger communities.

CareSouth Carolina is a private, non-profit community health center delivering patient-centered health and life services in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. CareSouth Carolina operates centers in Bennettsville, Bishopville, Cheraw, Chesterfield, Dillon, Hartsville, Lake View, Latta, McColl and Society Hill.

Services provided by CareSouth Carolina include family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, women's services, OB/GYN, HIV/AIDS primary care, infectious disease primary care, IV therapy, substance abuse prevention, dental, chiropractic services, pharmacy, senior support services, family support services, clinical counseling, laboratory, ultrasound, X-Ray, agricultural worker health services, podiatry, and veterans choice provider.