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JARED SOARES The Roanoke Times

Dr. Irene Townsend records information in patient charts Tuesday afternoon at the new teen health center on the campus of William Fleming High School.

A clinic serving high school students now operates out of a brand-new office -- but the focus remains the same and the need for its services remains high.

With the opening of the new William Fleming High School in September came the unveiling of a new teen health center run by Roanoke Adolescent Health Partnership.

The center offers free health care to William Fleming students. The teens can go in for physicals, sick visits, injury treatments, mental health visits and counseling, immunizations and family-planning services.

"Not many schools in Virginia offer this," said Brooks Michael, a member of the partnership's board. "It's important, because adolescent health is often times neglected, and what we offer is geared specifically toward that."

The health center at Fleming, which operated out of a trailer before the new school opened, is one of the health partnership's three clinics.

According to the Roanoke Adolescent Health Partnership, 6,111 patients were seen at the clinics last year.

With a per-patient cost of $191.96, Michael said the partnership is fortunate to offer these services for free. As a board member, Michael writes grants for the clinics. She estimated that the partnership receives $200,000 annually in grants, and an additional $250,000 of in-kind services. "I'm not going to lie, we're struggling," Michael said.

"We've seen many reductions in the last year, but we have a really great board and a lot of people behind us, so we're doing everything we can to make sure we can continue delivering these services."

Fundraisers also help keep the clinic afloat. Michael said the Roanoke Adolescent Health Partnership sponsored First Fridays events earlier this year and during the holidays will offer a series of giftwrapping fundraisers called Wrapping for RAHP.

Michael stressed the importance of the Fleming clinic providing health care to students who otherwise couldn't afford it.

"So many times when I talk to the teenagers, I ask them where they'd go if they couldn't come to the teen health centers," she said. "Most say they'd have nowhere else to go."

Those wanting to learn about opportunities to help can call RAHP at 857-7284.