Perry Local School District and Lake Hospital System Partner to Expand Community Fitness Center to a Community Health and Wellness Center

The Community Health and Wellness Center Will be Located on Perry School District's 100-plus-acre campus

The Perry Local School District and Lake Hospital System are excited to announce a partntership to expand the present Community Fitness Center into a Community Health and Wellness Center on Perry School District's 100-plus-acre campus.

The Community Health and Wellness Center will provide health care services for students, faculty, staff and the residents and neighbors of Perry Village, Perry Township, North Perry Village and surrounding communities. The center will also create educational opportunities in the health care profession for Perry students as well as create health and fitness awareness for students, staff and the community at large.

According to Perry Schools Superintendent Michael L. Sawyers, the partnership with Lake Hospital System will allow the district to create a personal health, fitness and wellness plan for every Perry Schools student with the goal of helping each student understand nutrition from an early age.

"We are very excited about the opportunities that this innovative partnership will provide for nearly 1,900 students, 225 staff members, and the citizens of Perry Village, Perry Township, North Perry Village, and surrounding communities alike. Our strategic alliance will permit us to expand the scope of health care education beyond the traditional classroom by honoring our families existing involvement with Lake Hospital System as the health care provider of choice for many."

The partnership will also provide curriculum opportunities, mentoring and "shadowing" programs, internships, scholarships, training and collaboration with local colleges and universities. Perry Board President, Matt Farrell, commented that "this partnership will provide authentic, real-life learning opportunities for Perry students right here on our campus."

The Community Health and Wellness Center will use existing space inside the Perry Community Fitness Center located on the Perry School campus. Lake Hospital System will integrate both health care and wellness practices into the center and will seek collaborative programming with the Perry School District, community organizations and area businesses.

"The Community Health and Wellness Center is very forward-thinking in nature," says Cynthia Moore-Hardy, president and chief executive officer of Lake Hospital System. "It will be built on community collaboration and will strengthen and enhance local services so as to have a lasting positive impact on the health of the residents of Perry and surrounding communities."

The center is an opportunity for Lake Hospital System to meet emerging community needs by developing outreach programs, investing in clinical services and offering local access to the most advanced technology available today.

The Community Health and Wellness Center will include the following services:

• Urgent Care/Walk-in Center
• Primary Care Medicine
• Pediatric and Specialist Care
• Sports Medicine -- Including a full-time sports medicine physician.
• Rehabilitation Services -- Physical therapy and occupational therapy.
• Premier Athlete Services -- Lake Hospital System will offer Performance Enhancement Camps, which provide sports-specific and general conditioning to elite athletes and athletic teams.
• Mental Health Services -- In collaboration with Lake Hospital System, Crossroads and local pediatricians have developed a Behavioral Health Pediatric Practice that will have a presence in the Community Health and Wellness Center.
• Imaging Services -- On-site radiology services will be provided.
• Lab Services -- On-site lab services will be provided.
• Senior Health
• Health & Wellness Services -- Including smoking cessation, diabetes management, weight management, stress management, fitness programming, osteoporosis prevention, health risk assessments, health screenings and health lectures.
• Health Education
• Health Care Career Development

According to Mr. Sawyers, "The partnership between the Perry Local School District and Lake Hospital System is a win-win for everyone. The kids win, the community wins and the health care profession wins."