Score 1 for Health housed within the Center for Population Health and Equity at Kansas City University (KCU), has received a $25,000 grant from the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund to purchase critical medical equipment.
Each year, the program screens nearly 10,000 children, identifying early health, dental and vision concerns without requiring parents to miss work or students to lose valuable classroom time. Historically, nearly two-thirds of children screened require referrals for non-urgent but necessary follow-up care, making access to high-quality equipment essential.
The grant will allow Score 1 for Health to replace and upgrade key tools, including new blood pressure kits that will improve accuracy and standardize screenings, a Welch-Allyn Spot Screener that identifies vision concerns when traditional tests aren’t effective and a tympanometer that assesses middle-ear function and helps families understand whether a child needs medical care or an audiology referral.
“We are deeply grateful to the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund for this generous investment in Score for Health,” said Annette Campbell, MPA, RN, director of Score 1 for Health. “The foundation’s priority is connecting kids to care, and that’s exactly what this equipment allows us to do. We’re investing in both the most basic tools and the latest technology to improve community health screenings.”
Score 1 for Health nurses collaborate closely with school nurses and families, providing written recommendations, guiding families to appropriate medical, dental or vision care and connecting them with community partners that offer free or reduced-cost services.
Campbell noted that the enhanced equipment will significantly strengthen both the quality of screenings and the hands-on training provided to KCU osteopathic medical and dental students, who learn essential clinical skills through the program’s school-based model.
For many families, Score 1 for Health serves as the first step toward establishing ongoing primary care.
“Enhancing our equipment allows us to increase the quality of our health screenings to meet children where they are, address critical gaps in access and ensure students have the support they need to learn and thrive,” Campbell said.
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