NNY delegation in Albany to rally for clinics at schools

North Country Children's Clinic administrators will join two Watertown City School District students today in Albany to advocate for funding for school-based health centers.

Children's Clinic Executive Director Aileen G. Martin and Joey Marie Horton, the agency's school-based health program coordinator, will accompany Ariel McKinley and Lee Frostad, both Watertown High School seniors, to the Empire State Plaza for the event.

Mrs. Horton, also the co-executive director of the state Coalition for School-Based Health Centers, said her group will join nearly 400 other people as they show their support for the preservation of $21.7 million for school-based health centers included in Gov. David A. Paterson's 2010-11 executive budget.

The preservation is essential, she said, because the centers provide primary and preventive health care, mental health services and health education for students enrolled in the program.

"This is a really important day when a lot of people are in Albany talking about school-based health centers," Mrs. Horton said.

Mrs. Horton, Mrs. Martin, Miss McKinley and Mr. Frostad also will meet with Assemblywomen Dierdre K. Scozzafava, R-Gouverneur, and Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, as well as state Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent.