Glenbrook North High School Opens Free Health Center for Students and Staff

Glenbrook North High School in Illinois now has a brand-new health center right inside the building. Students and staff can visit the center to get medical care and mental health support — all at no cost to them. The center opened on August 17 and is run through a partnership between Glenbrook High School District 225 and Advocate Health. It is the second health center the district has opened, following a similar one at Glenbrook South High School in 2023.

On August 7, dozens of people gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the new facility. School leaders said the center is meant to make it easier for students and staff to get care without leaving campus. Glenbrook North principal Mandy Hughes spoke at the event about why having healthcare in the building matters so much. She said it helps everyone stay focused on what school is really about — learning.

Illinois State Representative Tracy Katz Muhl attended the ceremony and shared her excitement about the new center. She is a Democrat from Northbrook who represents the 57th District, and she is also a Glenbrook North graduate and parent. Katz Muhl helped the district receive a $920,000 grant from the state's Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. That money was used to pay for the health center and a new nurse's office at the school.

Katz Muhl said the center could help students take care of their health during the busy school week. For example, a student with a sore throat could visit the center instead of going home or waiting for an after-school appointment. Students could also get vaccines during a study hall if they can't get an appointment outside of school hours. She said she sees the center as a convenient and helpful resource for families.

The health center offers a wide range of services for both students and staff members. These include sick visits, physical exams, lab testing, vaccines, and mental health counseling. Laura Yurisich, a practice manager for Advocate Health who works at the Glenbrook North center, explained that staff can quickly test for illnesses like the flu or strep throat. If a student tests positive, the team can start them on a treatment plan right away.

Yurisich also said the center has a plan for students who need more specialized care. Those students will be connected to other doctors and specialists within the Advocate Health network. For students who do not have health insurance, the staff will help them find options. This could include signing them up for Medicaid, setting up a payment plan, or referring them to a nearby free clinic.

Even though the two Glenbrook health centers are at different schools, students and staff from either school can use both locations. If someone needs to travel between schools to get care, transportation can be arranged. Dr. Joanna Lewis, the medical director of the Glenbrook South Health Center, said both centers offer the same types of services. However, the Glenbrook South location has more space because it serves a larger number of students.

The Glenbrook North Health Center has one exam room and one mental health room. In comparison, the Glenbrook South center has three exam rooms and two mental health rooms. The North center is staffed with a nurse practitioner, a medical assistant, and a clinical therapist. Some of those staff members split their time between both schools so that students at each location get quality care.

The health team also makes sure the new center works alongside a student's regular doctor. Both health centers use the same electronic medical record system, which allows staff to share notes and stay in contact with other physicians. This helps make sure students get consistent care no matter where they are seen. Both centers are open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.