Piketon school clinic opens with $1.7M in state health grants
Area students change the future by living drug free
Students gathered from various area schools to celebrate being drug free on Oct. 31, 2025.
Students and families in Piketon now have easier access to healthcare thanks to a new school-based clinic at Piketon Jr/Sr High School, part of the Scioto Valley School District. The facility is designed to serve students, staff, their families and the broader community with both primary and behavioral health services.
The clinic was built using nearly $1.7 million in grant funding from Gov. Mike DeWine’s Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative, according to a community announcement. The initiative is part of the broader Appalachian Community Grant Program, which has committed $500 million to strengthen Ohio’s 32-county Appalachian region.
Operated in partnership with Valley View Health Centers, the clinic offers services similar to a pediatrician’s office, including annual checkups, sick visits, vaccinations and mental health support. It does not replace the school nurse but expands available care options, helping students return to class more quickly and reducing missed school days.
“This new clinic will allow students to get the care they need and get back to learning,” DeWine said. “When families can access care where their children already learn, we see better attendance, higher classroom performance, and healthier, more confident students who can reach their God-given potential.”
School-based healthcare has been shown to reduce barriers to essential services and improve physical, behavioral and academic outcomes, according to the announcement.
The Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative has invested more than $64 million across 28 projects, expected to benefit 61,000 students and 375,000 residents in 20 Appalachian counties, according to the announcement. These projects include new and expanded health clinics and workforce development programs focused on healthcare careers.
This story was created by Dave DeMille, [email protected], with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
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