LAS CRUCES--- Thanks to a newly established agreement between Las Cruces Public Schools (LCPS) and MountainView Regional Medical Center (MVRMC), four LCPS high schools have each received part-time, assistant athletic training services, in return for in-kind advertising at district sporting events. The agreement is expected to save the district $24,000, while providing more than $80,000 worth of athletic training services, every year, said LCPS officials.
“This agreement is remarkable; it not only saves us money, it allows us to offer better quality care for our student athletes,” said LCPS Superintendent Dr. Greg Ewing. “We’re so thankful to MountainView for their continued support of our student athletics program.”
As part of the agreement, MVRMC created four full-time positions for the professionals, who previously worked as assistant athletic trainers at Centennial, Las Cruces, Oñate and Mayfield High School. Each of these positions is set up to allow the professionals to work part-time in various roles at MVRMC and part-time as independent contractors who will provide athletic training services at their assigned high school. Previously, the district provided an annual stipend of $6,000 to each of the four assistant athletic trainers who spent approximately 25-30 hours per week providing athletic training services at their assigned high school, said LCPS Athletic Director Ernie Viramontes.
“When dealing with sports injuries, time is such a critical factor, so this will likely help to reduce complications from injuries and cut down on the cost of rehabilitation services for the student’s families,” Viramontes said. “It’s a real win-win situation for everyone involved.”
The agreement may also help expedite emergency care for student athletes, since the assistant athletic trainers can assist with first aid and injury assessment and communicate directly with the hospital staff.
“Our high school athletes are phenomenal, and we know that when they get hurt, one of the most important things to them is returning to the game quickly,” said MountainView CEO Denten Park. “Our partnership with LCPS allows us to provide excellent care to student athletes, while also allowing us to benefit from the skills and expertise the four assistant athletic trainers bring to our team at the hospital.”
Since the athletic trainers will be working as independent contractors at LCPS, they will not only have to complete a background check and volunteer application through the district, they will also have to complete the MVRMC employment process which includes a separate background screening and credential verification.
In return for the hospital providing athletic training services for the district, the district will select the hospital as the preferred healthcare facility service provider and provide the hospital with in-kind advertising at all districtwide sporting events.
The agreement was established in Sept. 2016 and will automatically renew for the next three years. After the initial three years has passed, the agreement will be renewed annually.
In conjunction with the partnership, Park also mentioned that MVRMC recently launched a hotline for all LCPS employees which offers expedited appointments at any of MVRMC’s affiliated clinics or urgent care facilities. The hotline can be reached by calling (575) 532-5277, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.