The Wellness Center

Medical Services

The Wellness Center is a health center just for our community's children and teenagers ages 5 to 21, regardless of where they live or go to school. Although the center is located in a school (Smedley Middle School), it is a medical suite open to children and adolescents in nearby communities.

Children and adolescents come to the Center for many reasons. Some come for routine care, such as physical exams, vaccinations, health care education, asthma maintenance care and group counseling.

The Center also provides sick care to children and teenagers who have immediate health concerns. In addition to routine medical care, the Center addresses adolescents' sexual health and emotional issues. No matter what brings children and teenagers to the Center, they can count on receiving quality care in a compassionate, friendly environment.

Children and adolescents who enroll in the Wellness Center have a parent or guardian sign a consent form and make insurance arrangements that specify the Center’s physician as the primary provider.

Individuals can call 610-490-1755 to have information mailed to their homes or they may stop by the Wellness Center to meet the staff and pick up the forms. Once students are enrolled in the program, parents and guardians can accompany their children or adolescents to each visit, or choose to send students alone, helping them to reduce the amount of time they miss work.

The medical department of the Wellness Center staff consists of an adolescent medicine physician, a pediatric nurse practitioner, and a licensed practical nurse/medical receptionist.

Address: 1701 Upland Street, Chester, PA 19013

Phone: 610-490-1755

Fax: 610-490-1883

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Individuals may speak to the doctor after hours by calling the Wellness Center and having the doctor paged.

The Wellness Center

Youth Development Programs

In addition to offering comprehensive medical services, the Wellness Center coordinates and provides outreach programs that promote the overall health and wellness of the young people of Chester–and involve young citizens in giving back to the community around them.

Collaborative Community Health Initiatives

The Wellness Center provides leadership for several community health initiatives, the largest of which is the Chester Youth Development Task Force, a collaborative of young adults from 12 to 22 years of age, other adult community residents, and local institutions working together to strengthen and support out-of-school youth programs. The ultimate goal of the Task Force is to support young people in transitioning successfully to adulthood and becoming productive citizens.

In-School Programs

The Wellness Center offers health promotion programs to students in grades six to eight in the Chester Upland School District during the regular school day. Classes focus on preparing students to handle the challenges of adolescence, such as peer pressure, in a positive way. Many

In-School Programs are led by high school students, known as Peer Leaders, who are trained as community health educators by the Wellness Center's Youth Leadership Program.

Out-of-School Programs

The Wellness Center operates three out-of-school programs:

The Youth Leadership Program trains high school students to become Peer Leaders for middle school students. Peer Leaders become positive role models and mentors for their younger peers, helping them to learn assertiveness and resistance to peer and social pressure through interactive and entertaining lesson plans. In addition to training and community service in the middle schools, the Youth Leadership Program provides Peer Leaders with extensive opportunities for personal, cultural, and academic enrichment.

Leadership 101 is an after-school program that provides introductory leadership skills to middle school students known as Junior Peer Leaders, who can go on to become Peer Leaders when they reach high school. Leadership 101 clubs meet once a week, with middle school students working in small groups with high school Peer Leaders and Wellness Center staff on a variety of health and leadership themes. Just like the Youth Leadership Program, Leadership 101 includes community service and enrichment in addition to Peer Leader training.

Majestic Flex Squad is a competitive drill team made up of middle and high school students. In addition to practices, competitions, and performances, the Majestic Flex Squad emphasizes community service, civic engagement, as well as cultural and personal activities.

Address: Community Hospital, 2600 West Ninth Street, Chester, PA 19013.

Phone: 610-497-7422

Fax: 610-497-7438