Budget concerns have prompted Cincinnati officials to recommend against expanding the city's School Health Nurse program.
In September, Mayor Roxanne Qualls and Councilmen Todd Portune and Jim Tarbell introduced a motion calling for the city to pay for nurses for schools that don't have them.
The 1998 budget for school health services is $1.5 million, which funds services in 53 to 55 schools. Schools are selected for service based on the highest percentage of children living at or below the federal poverty rate.
Expanding the program to the remaining five elementary schools, six high schools and the School for Creative and Performing Arts would cost $600,510.
In his report issued Tuesday, assistant finance director William Moller wrote: "At the present time, the health department is experiencing reduced revenues because of increasing numbers of uninsured patients, and may be forced to cut primary care services to the citizens of Cincinnati in 1999 and 2000."
