Bernalillo County shuts down program providing health care at these four APS schools

Bernalillo County has terminated its contract with Health Yeah!, a mobile clinic that has offered health care services to students at four Albuquerque Public Schools middle schools since last fall, at the cost of $1.5 million annually.

“Bernalillo County terminated its contract with Wellness Equity Alliance after thoughtful consideration and due diligence on behalf of the county,” Bernalillo County Manager Cindy Chavez said at Tuesday’s commission meeting. “We are currently discussing a transition process, and the county looks forward to continuing to work with our partners, in particular APS, to explore new and innovative ways to continue to deliver health care services to our school-aged children.”

She did not offer further explanation as to why the contract was terminated. The Wellness Equity Alliance is a California-based company that aims to provide health care to marginalized communities. Their initiative in partnership with Bernalillo County was sending the Health Yeah! Clinics to schools.

The Wellness Equity Alliance did not return phone calls seeking comment.

The mobile clinics serve McKinley, Roosevelt, Truman and Tony Hillerman middle schools.

“The county’s decision doesn’t impact the 14 brick-and-mortar school-based health centers currently operating in our schools,” APS spokesperson Martin Salazar said in a statement. “That said, we are definitely open to partnering with the county to find a new provider.”

Brandon Smith, who heads Health Yeah!, said he could not comment Wednesday.

However, in an op-ed he wrote for the Journal published Sunday, Smith said the county’s decision amounted to “reckless abandonment of the most vulnerable among us.”

“That is why Bernalillo County’s sudden decision to pull the plug on Health Yeah! is so alarming. No warning. No reason given. Just a notice that in less than 30 days, the work we have been doing for kids and families is supposed to end,” he wrote.

Smith also pleaded with readers to show up, speak out against the move and “pack the room.” Three of the five total public commenters — one of whom was Smith — at Tuesday’s meeting spoke on the issue.

“It’s my hope that this type of program can continue, even if there’s a different provider organization,” Dr. Dale Alverson, a senior pediatrician for Health Yeah!, said at Tuesday’s meeting. “We are all committed to a smooth, appropriate and effective transition, ensuring continuity of care for these students and their families.”

Eric Olivas, who chairs the county commission, also hopes to implement a similar program.

“The county remains committed to serving students and families in need across the community through perhaps a similar type of program,” he said in an interview Tuesday night. “The (county) manager has committed to engaging with APS and relevant partners to really determine sort of what that service looks like.”

He added that the agreement between the county and the Wellness Equity Alliance allows either side to terminate the contract without cause.

“We’re not placing any blame or finding any explicit wrongdoing or anything like that,” Olivas said. “It’s just a part of the contract that says, the county or the vendor can give 30 days’ notice and just say we’re parting ways.”