Indy Standard

Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) is making a significant investment in the health and wellness of its employees through a district-based primary care clinic in partnership with Ascension St. Vincent. The myIPS Employee & Family Clinic at Howe, scheduled to open in Fall 2024, will be located inside Howe Middle School, an IB World School. Officials from IPS and Ascension St. Vincent announced the partnership and new clinic today during the Howe groundbreaking.

The clinic will be situated in a state-of-the-art medical space at Howe, which is currently undergoing facility and athletic field renovations as part of the district’s Rebuilding Stronger initiative. The clinic will serve IPS employees and their families, providing convenient and high-quality healthcare services aimed at enhancing the overall well-being of the IPS community.

“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Ascension St. Vincent to offer this invaluable resource to our employees and their families,” said Christina Aden Hamer, the district’s chief human resources officer. “Ascension St. Vincent is a leader in healthcare and brings a wealth of experience in providing employee health services for school districts across Indiana.”

Access to the clinic’s services will be available to IPS employees, their spouses, and dependents at no cost. Employees can schedule visits for routine care without any co-pay or fee due at the time of service.

“The clinic is also a testament to our ongoing commitment to supporting the overall well-being of our staff, ensuring they have access to the healthcare they need to thrive both personally and professionally,” Aden Hamer added. “With the support of APEX Benefits, IPS has positioned itself to continually expand the range of health and wellness benefits for our employees in innovative and fiscally responsible ways.”

A team of dedicated healthcare professionals from Ascension St. Vincent will staff the clinic when it opens in August at Howe.

“Ascension St. Vincent is dedicated to spiritually centered, holistic care that sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities,” said Kevin Speer, JD, chief executive officer of Ascension St. Vincent. “Through its partnership with IPS, the organization values the opportunity to serve teachers and staff so they can fully serve the district’s students and families.”

Speer emphasized proactive outreach and prevention as core principles: “As a health ministry, we see firsthand the impact a health crisis can have on an individual and their family. Because of this, we strongly believe in proactive outreach and prevention, and in supporting each person as they work to improve their health.”

Prevention and lifestyle management solutions will be central to services offered at myIPS Employee & Family Clinic at Howe: Partnering with Ascension St. Vincent.

“Together, we look forward to improving the health and well-being of the IPS teachers and staff so they can continue to impact the lives of their students,” Speers said.

Howe Middle School serves students in grades 6-8 starting with the 2024-25 school year as part of IPS's Rebuilding Stronger initiative. In addition to facility upgrades happening at Howe Middle School, it also houses a Day Early Learning Center.