St. Louis, MO — Confluence Academies and IFM Community Medicine have partnered to open a free healthcare clinic at Confluence Preparatory Academy, now open and serving students and staff across all four Confluence Academies campuses: Confluence Preparatory Academy, Grand Center Arts Academy, Old North Academy, and South City Academy.
The clinic is part of Confluence Academies' ongoing commitment to supporting the whole child. Academic success doesn't happen in a vacuum — it depends on a child's health, stability, and sense of being cared for. By bringing healthcare directly into the building, Confluence and IFM are removing a barrier that has nothing to do with a student's ability to learn, and everything to do with their ability to show up ready to learn.
"Removing barriers means bringing care to where our students already are," said Dr. Candice Carter-Oliver, CEO of Confluence Academies. "This clinic reflects our commitment to the whole child, ensuring that health is never a barrier to learning, growth, or opportunity."
This commitment isn't new for Confluence Academies. As the largest public charter school network in Missouri, serving more than 2,400 students from PreK through high school, the organization has long framed its work around educating the whole child — not just academics, but every factor that shapes a student's ability to learn. The new clinic is one of the clearest examples yet of that mission in practice.
What Services Are Available
Located in Room 108 at Confluence Preparatory Academy, the IFM Clinic offers a full range of primary care services, including wellness exams, sick visits, school and sports physicals, medication refills, vaccinations, prescriptions, lab testing and imaging, and sexual health care and testing for older students and staff. The clinic is staffed by IFM nurse practitioners, under the supervision of Family Medicine physicians.
IFM Community Medicine, the nonprofit behind the clinic, has provided care to underserved communities across St. Louis since 2000. Each year, the organization serves more than 5,000 patients through more than 10,000 appointments, operating 36 clinic sites throughout the region — including shelters, schools, and community centers — all working toward the same goal: bringing healthcare directly to those who might otherwise go without it.
"School-based care allows us to meet students and families exactly where they are, both literally and in terms of their health needs," said Jessica Knobbe, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner with IFM Community Medicine. "When we remove barriers like cost and transportation, we see real improvements in attendance, immunization rates, and overall wellbeing."
Who Can Use the Clinic, and What It Costs
All current Confluence Academies students and staff are eligible for care, regardless of which campus they attend. While the clinic is physically located at Confluence Preparatory Academy, it is open to the entire Confluence community — Confluence Preparatory Academy (grades 9–12), Grand Center Arts Academy (grades 6–12), Old North Academy (PreK–8), and South City Academy (PreK–8).
Care is free for students who are uninsured or enrolled in Medicaid. Families with commercial insurance will only be responsible for required co-pays. A completed consent form is required before any services are provided, and for students under the applicable age requirements, a parent or guardian must complete the form authorizing care.
Clinic Hours
The IFM Clinic is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Starting in Spring 2027, hours will shift to Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons. Occasionally, the clinic will be closed during regular hours when IFM staff are visiting other Confluence campuses.
Why School-Based Care Works
School-based health centers are a well-established model used across the country to close gaps in healthcare access. National research shows that these clinics increase access to care for children from low-income families, narrowing income-based disparities in insurance coverage and routine care. The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes that school-based health centers reduce financial, geographic, age, and cultural barriers to care, and research consistently links school-based care to reduced absenteeism, higher immunization rates, and improved academic outcomes — because healthier students are better able to focus, attend, and succeed in the classroom.
Families with questions about the IFM Clinic or the consent process should contact their school office.