Experian Supports Cleveland Youth School Health Program
Cleveland, OH – The MetroHealth System’s School Health Program (SHP) has received a significant boost from Experian, a global technology company. The gift will help bridge the annual financial gap between operational costs and reimbursements, enhancing the program’s impact.
The SHP serves over 4,800 students across nearly 30 schools in Cuyahoga County, primarily within the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Since its inception in 2013, the program has supported thousands of students, linking healthcare delivery with academic achievement.
“MetroHealth focuses on healthy youth in every sense of the word,” said Abigail Lovell, Experian’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “Preparing the next generation to be healthy adults physically, mentally, and emotionally includes financial health, which starts in schools.”
The SHP is funded through a combination of Medicaid/insurance billing, grants, state funding, private philanthropy, and MetroHealth’s general operations budget. Experian’s contribution will help ensure the program’s continued success in providing comprehensive care and services to students directly within their schools.
“Experian’s gift helps build a strong foundation for our students,” said Greg Sanders, MetroHealth’s Vice President of Philanthropy. “By ensuring they’re healthy in the classroom, we increase their likelihood of being attentive, engaged, and successful.”
MetroHealth President and CEO Christine Alexander-Rager, MD, founded the School Health Program after nearly three decades as a family medicine physician. She witnessed firsthand the need for quality healthcare access for students.
“We’re grateful to Experian for investing in a program with proven results,” Dr. Alexander-Rager said. “By providing care during the school day, we improve health, learning, and lives.”
The MetroHealth System, founded in 1837, is Cuyahoga County’s public safety-net hospital system. It provides care through five hospitals, four emergency departments, and over 20 health centers, focusing on equitable healthcare and eradicating health disparities.
