Las Vegas NowResidents Oppose Health Center Near School

Residents Oppose Health Center Near School

Clark County commissioners voted unanimously to place a community health center on the grounds of Elaine Wynn Elementary, making it the seventh such school-based clinic in Clark County.

The vote came despite opposition from dozens of Spring Valley residents who say they support the clinic but were not notified or given a chance to give input.

Residents who live near Wynn Elementary are upset with the school district because they didn't find out about the Casey Jones Health Center until the day they broke ground.

“We had no meaningful opportunity to make any significant contribution to the planning process and that's called violation of due process,” said Spring Valley resident Gary Moss.

Residents accused the Clark County School District of breaking the open meeting laws. The school district denied that but apologized for leaving neighbors out of the planning process and promised commissioners it would not happen again.

The Casey Jones Community Health Center will be located next to Wynn Elementary near Sahara and Jones. When completed in four months, the clinic will provide free medical, dental, vision screening, and even mental health services to thousands of low-income students and their families who live nearby.

Residents who oppose the location of the clinic are concerned about increased traffic and decreased property values, but say they are not the heartless homeowners some have made them out to be. “We are not against the clinic and we're not against helping underprivileged children. You'd have to be an evil person to try and stop that, but we are against due process not happening and not being able to give some input into something that will directly affect us,” said resident Liz McGrath.

Under the Communities in Schools agreement, the school district provides the land and local contractors donate the building and construction costs.

The health care is provided and paid for by the non-profit group Communities in Schools. The organization says this type of community partnership has proven to be very successful at six other school-based clinics throughout the valley.