ARCHS' Kids Vision for Life ProgramGoal: To provide free eye screenings to children in grades K-6 at identified St. Louis area (Title 1) schools, to provide free eye examinations to students who fail the screening, and provide free eye glasses to students who need them after completing the eye examination.
Funder/Program Partners: Essilor Vision Foundation, Crown Vision Center, HealthCare USA, and University of Missouri-St. Louis School of Optometry (Mobile Van).
Most Recent Impact/Results: 11,699 students screened, 1,566 students examined, and 1,192 eye glasses prescribed. 21.36% of the participating schools' students student population was diagnosed with vision problems (compared to a 25% national average).
Availability: Not open to the general public. Interested school districts should contact ARCHS about program expansion.
History: From 2006-2009, ARCHS' Healthy Vision Network (HVN) was a partnership with the Missouri Foundation for Health, Crown Vision Centers, University of Missouri-St. Louis’ School of Optometry, Regional Lions Clubs, and area healthcare providers. In 2008, ARCHS’ HVN completed a four-year educational effort that successfully provided free eye screenings and exams to 2,260 area adults. Several cataract and other eye surgeries were also performed.
In 2008, ARCHS was awarded a grant from the William Kemper Foundation to help create HVN for Kids (now called Kids Vision for Life). ARCHS partnered with Crown to serve the vision needs of 175 kindergarten and first graders in six Saint Louis Public Schools. Crown continued the HVN for Kids program through 2010 serving hundreds of additional students.
WATCH KIDS VISION FOR LIFE VIDEO
Kids Vision for Life Expands into Three New School DistrictsTuesday, 19 February 2013 |   ARCHS' Kids Vision for Life program is expanding to serve three more school districts in the St. Louis area, with expectations that an additional 4,000 to 5,000 children will be served this school year.Kids Vision for Life started serving four schools in the Jennings School District in January 2013, and began seeing students in the Normandy School District this month. Services in the Ferguson-Florissant School District will begin in March. For this school year through December 2012, Kids Vision for Life screened 3,972 students, 925 were given exams, and 672 received new eye glasses in the Saint Louis and Riverview Gardens school districts. Kids Vision for Life aims to provide free eye screenings to children in grades K-6, provide free eye examinations to students who fail the screenings, and provide free eye glasses to students who need them after completing the eye examination. ARCHS partners with Essilor Vision Foundation, Crown Vision Center, HealthCare USA, and University of Missouri-St. Louis School of Optometry (mobile van) to provide Kids Vision for Life services.
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