JCPS and Humana team up to offer in-person services for families at Waterside Building

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville's public schools may still be closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but JCPS families who need help with various services for their students can now get in-person help at the downtown Humana Waterside Building.

Humana has donated two floors in its Waterside Building, 101 E. Main St., to serve as the JCPS 360° Student & Family Support Center.

The new space for Jefferson County Public Schools is available because employees for the health insurance firm have worked from home during the pandemic.

“We’re excited that Humana and its employees are offering this large space for JCPS to essentially set up satellite district offices,” JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio said in a news release. "This is a tremendous opportunity for our families to get the safe, face-to-face help they’re requesting with everything from guidance on using Chromebooks and Google Classroom to language translation services."

Students and staff in JCPS have continued with remote instruction for the start of the 2020-21 school year, with leaders citing concerns over Louisville's COVID-19 data.

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A specific return date for in-person classes has yet to be determined, but in the meantime, JCPS hopes several community learning hubs and the new Humana space will offer safe, in-person resources for families in need.

Services offered at the new support center at Humana include:

• Special education screenings
• Parent portal support
• Enrollment and school choice information and help
• Language translation services
• IT support with computers, education and digital platforms
• Eviction prevention, Neighborhood Place resources and financial case management through the Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services
• Physicals as well as vision and hearing screenings through Doctors for Healthy Communities

“The JCPS support center is an example of how we are working together to help our hometown through the pandemic,” said Bruce Broussard, Humana's president and CEO, in the news release. “We appreciate the teamwork with JCPS to offer the services that are the highest priorities for students and their families. Tailoring these offerings as needs change is one of the ways that we are helping students succeed in the current learning environment."

The JCPS 360° Student & Family Support Center will be open by appointment Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. until at least the end of the year. JCPS said the hours are subject to change.

Families can make an appointment by visiting https://signup.com/go/pNsoYzt.

Free parking is available in Humana's surface parking lot at Washington and Brook streets, and families should enter the Waterside Building through the Washington Street entrance.

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Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com.