Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky (CHNK) and Deaconess Associations Foundation today announced a new, centralized Deaconess Health Check location in Covington that will lead to better health outcomes for Northern Kentucky children.

Fueled by a $318,000 grant from Deaconess and operated by CHNK, the 5,266 square foot facility, located on the second floor of the Fifth Street Center at 525 West Fifth Street, increases the capacity of CHNK’s existing Champions school-based behavioral health services. These services will now expand beyond the five Northern Kentucky school districts presently benefiting from Champions and allow for a dual school and community-based approach. During the 2013-2014 academic year, 116 students participated in services; for the 2015-2016 academic year, as many as 700 youth and family members will receive services.

Funding from Deaconess will support the expansion of CHNK’s Champions services into the new Fifth Street location, including technology and infrastructure needs, and operations for the first year. Previously, Champions services were offered only in a school or home setting, limiting access to CHNK’s team of licensed therapists and other behavioral health professionals.

The central location means more youth will have easier access to services and a more comprehensive continuum of care. This is crucial given that an increasing number of youth referred for behavioral services have one or more substance use issues. Clinical assessments completed at the onset of services during the 2012-2013 academic year found 86 percent of youth had some type of exposure to substance use, either directly or via a family member; last year, the number jumped to 93 percent.