By Jillian Bannister
Buffalo, NY – The city of Buffalo and its school system are partnering with Erie I BOCES to bring back some recently laid-off Erie County Health Department nurses at city schools.
Beginning next Monday, eleven school nurses hired by BOCES will provide health services in city schools, especially to the most medically fragile students. The part-time nurses will divide their time among a group of schools in general proximity to one another.
Diane Collier, associate superintendent for student support services at BOCES, says although this is not the ideal long-term plan, it may give parents some relief.
"Right now, our goal is to make sure that our students on April 4th will come into the schools with some assuredness that basic health services," Collier said. "That means some medication and some special other needs for those students will be addressed and our families can feel assured that they won't have to worry on their jobs."
BOCES has not yet released the names of which schools will be serviced. But officials say the eleven nurses will serve schools not presently covered by Kaleida or Catholic Health Systems clinics.