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New Health Clinic Opens In Stamford's Cloonan Middle School

STAMFORD, Conn. -- The federal government's Affordable Care Act is paying dividends for Americans' health care, two prominent politicians said at the official opening of a clinic in a Stamford middle school.

Cloonan Middle School student council president Maura Johnstone cuts the ribbon during the official opening of the Family Centers new clinic in the Stamford school.

Cloonan Middle School student council president Maura Johnstone cuts the ribbon during the official opening of the Family Centers new clinic in the Stamford school.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Greenwich welcomes Cloonan Middle School President Maura Johnstone prior to the ribbon cutting of the Family Centers new clinic in the school.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Greenwich welcomes Cloonan Middle School President Maura Johnstone prior to the ribbon cutting of the Family Centers new clinic in the school.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal speaks during the official opening Monday of the newest Family Centers clinic at Cloonan Middle School.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal speaks during the official opening Monday of the newest Family Centers clinic at Cloonan Middle School.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
Cloonan Middle School students pose with, from left in back, Mayor David Martin, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes and Principal David Tate prior to the official opening of the newest Family Centers clinic at the school.

Cloonan Middle School students pose with, from left in back, Mayor David Martin, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes and Principal David Tate prior to the official opening of the newest Family Centers clinic at the school.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
Cloonan Middle School Principal David Tate stands beside a sign for the new Family Centers health clinic in the school. It was officially opened Monday.

Cloonan Middle School Principal David Tate stands beside a sign for the new Family Centers health clinic in the school. It was officially opened Monday.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
Cloonan Middle School students, from left, Caroline Kavanagh, Precious Thomas, Ben Jean and Christopher Chung play during the official opening Monday of the Family Centers newest clinic that will be located in the middle school.

Cloonan Middle School students, from left, Caroline Kavanagh, Precious Thomas, Ben Jean and Christopher Chung play during the official opening Monday of the Family Centers newest clinic that will be located in the middle school.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
Cloonan Middle School eighth-grader Shamar Bryce plays during the official opening of the Family Centers newest clinic that will be located in the middle school.

Cloonan Middle School eighth-grader Shamar Bryce plays during the official opening of the Family Centers newest clinic that will be located in the middle school.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
Cloonan Middle School sixth-grader Christopher Chung plays during the official opening of the Family Centers newest clinic that will be located in the middle school.

Cloonan Middle School sixth-grader Christopher Chung plays during the official opening of the Family Centers newest clinic that will be located in the middle school.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern

"It is providing access to health care for millions of Americans who previously didn't have it," U.S. Rep. Jim Himes (D-4th District) said Monday before the ribbon cutting of the new Family Centers School Based Health clinic at Cloonan Middle School. The clinic was funded in part through the Affordable Care Act.

The act faced strenuous opposition before it became law in 2009 and continues to see vigorous Republican attacks. However, the law provided money that could be used to build clinics in schools and the local nonprofit Family Centers.

The new clinic joins Family Centers' roster of school-based clinics at Westhill High School and Stamford High School and joint clinics that provide services for Rippowam Middle School and the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering High School as well as a clinic that covers Dolan Middle School and Toquam Elementary.

No opposing voices were heard Monday as Himes was joined by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Mayor David Martin, Family Centers officials, educators and Cloonan students at the ceremony.

Blumenthal, a Greenwich Democrat who noted that he used to live in Stamford, called the clinic a "real tangible, real concrete" example of what can be done when people at all levels of government work together.

The clinics will offer a wide variety of care, including access to mental health care, he said.

"It has never been more difficult to be a student and young person today," Blumenthal said of the challenges young people might be facing.

Himes, a Cos Cob resident, praised Stamford and what it offers.

"It is a city that I point to when I talk to my colleagues as a city that really gets it right," he said.

In his brief remarks, Martin said it was important to ensure that everyone is healthy and he made a pitch for everyone to get a flu shot.

Family Centers President Bob Arnold was excited about the clinic and what it will offer for students.

"This is a wonderful thing because children's health is our No. 1 priority," he said.

Family Centers is a private nonprofit based in Greenwich that offers services to children and adults.

Federal money was used to renovate the space while state and city money will be use to operate the clinic.

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