RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee, Monday, announced her Small Business of the Week: Classroom Clinic of Carroll County. Throughout this Congress, Ranking Member Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.

“Telehealth access has become a valuable tool for families to reach a provider, especially in our rural communities. I’m recognizing Sue and her team at Classroom Clinic for their outstanding efforts to provide mental health care to our young Iowans,” said Ranking Member Ernst.

Psychiatric nurse practitioner Sue Gehling founded Classroom Clinic in 2019 to help address the mental health needs of students and provide additional support to teachers and staff. Sue spent most of her life in rural Iowa and saw an opportunity to serve the future generations in Iowa schools through her small business. Using a team-based approach to the telehealth model, the Classroom Clinic provides rural school districts with the ability to increase mental health services for students. Today, Classroom Clinic has worked with four districts, including seven schools, and has provided mental health care services to over 250 Iowa students.

Senator Ernst joined her colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, an effort to ensure Iowans continue to receive critical care through telehealth services on a permanent basis.