ALLENTOWN, PA - The Allentown School District (ASD), Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), part of Jefferson Health, and Valley Health Partners (VHP) announced a new collaboration that will anchor the District’s Family and Community Resource Center with comprehensive healthcare and community-based services.
This partnership represents a major step forward in the District’s long-term strategy to align education, access to healthcare resources, and workforce development. The Family and Community Resource Center will ensure that students are healthy, supported, and prepared for future careers, while families can access essential services in one centralized location.
Beyond clinical care, this partnership is deeply aligned with the District’s mission and vision. Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University will collaborate with the District to co-create experiential learning and career pathways in health sciences, supporting students from middle school through high school with hands-on exposure, mentorship, internships, dual-enrollment opportunities, and direct-to-work pipelines in one of the region’s fastest-growing industries.
“This partnership reflects our belief that student success is inseparable from health, wellness, and opportunity,” said Dr. Carol D. Birks, Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer of the Allentown School District. “We are excited to strengthen our partnership with Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health and Valley Health Partners, as we welcome them into our Family and Community Resource Center. Together, we will bring to life the vision that removes barriers to care, supports families, and builds pathways for our students into high-demand health careers.”
"Valley Health Partners is honored to continue to serve families of the Allentown School District. This partnership reflects our shared belief that health and education are deeply connected, and that when we invest in families, we strengthen entire communities,” said Veronica Gonzalez, Valley Health Partners Chief Executive Officer. “By bringing primary care, behavioral health, and wraparound services directly to where families already are, we're removing barriers and creating real, lasting pathways to wellness. This is whole-person, whole-family care in action, and we couldn't be prouder to help build this model alongside Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), part of Jefferson Health and the Allentown School District."
“Bringing care and opportunity directly into the community is core to who we are at Jefferson,” said Baligh Yehia, MD, MPP, MSc, FACP, President of Jefferson Health. “Together with the Allentown School District and VHP, we’re building a foundation that strengthens families today and inspires the healthcare workforce of tomorrow. This partnership will support the future talent that will care for our region by creating clear pathways into post-secondary education and health care careers.”
As a part of the partnership, Valley Health Partners will operate a Federally Qualified Health Center look-alike clinic within the Family and Community Resource Center. The on-site clinic will provide primary care, behavioral health services, preventive screenings, and care coordination for ASD students, families, and staff, as well as members of the surrounding community. Care will be available regardless of insurance status or ability to pay and will include extended hours, language and interpretation services, walk-in availability, and designated staff to help families navigate the healthcare system and connect to needed social services.
The Family and Community Resource Center is a key component of ASD’s Strategic Plan, Lighting the Way: A Blueprint for Innovation and Excellence 2030, which prioritizes whole-child development and strong partnerships that deliver measurable outcomes for students and families. This investment represents a long-term, sustained commitment to student health, family access, and support for the entire Allentown Learning Community.
Selected through the formal Request for Proposals process, LVHN and VHP will serve as the Exclusive Healthcare Partner for the Family and Community Resource Center. A celebratory groundbreaking was recently held to mark the start of a major transformation underway at Bridgeview Academy. The district’s design and construction team is advancing the project with a targeted completion date of December 2026.
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