2014-15 Annual Report

Table of Contents

Letter from the President

What a year it has been for the School-Based Health Alliance and our movement. We’ve seen school-based health centers (SBHCs) recognized by high-profile organizations and called upon during crises. At the Alliance, we published our core competencies and State Policy Survey, rebuilt our website, broke our census completion record, traveled to Capitol Hill during Awareness Month, and honored two outstanding individuals for their decades-long dedication to championing and advocating for SBHCs.

We also took on an audacious commitment: by 2018, we will increase the number of SBHCs by 30 percent AND that 50 percent of all SBHCs will report key standardized performance measures annually.

These are lofty goals, and we can’t do it without your help. During the 2015 National School-Based Health Care Convention in Austin, Texas, we asked our attendees to share a bold idea to create #MoreSBHCs and their hope for #GreatSBHCs. The responses didn’t disappoint.

Some of your thoughts on how to create #MoreSBHCs included:

Creating a mentorship program to connect established SBHCs with newer health centers
Connecting school-based health care advocates with mental health, education, and faith-based folks who are passionate about the health of children and adolescents
Providing more services in elementary and middle schools to catch issues earlier and have a larger impact

For how to support #GreatSBHCs, many of you offered aspirational goals:

That SBHCs will recognize, address and improve outcomes for social determinants of health
That SBHCs will provide individualized mental and physical health plans for each student
An SBHC in every school!

These are just a few of the strategies offered up in Texas. I encourage you to keep the dialogue going. What can we do to ensure more students have access to health care services in school? How can we create a policy environment that supports new SBHCs? And what will our field look like when we are all demonstrating our impact with a standardized data set? Share your thoughts below.

John Schlitt

President
School-Based Health Alliance

High Profile Praise for SBHCs

In 2015, the Centers for Disease Control Community Preventative Services Task Force (Task Force) released findings from its latest scientific systematic review, declaring SBHCs to be an “effective intervention for improving health and education outcomes in low-income communities”.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) released its Culture of Health Action Framework— a collection of four interrelated action areas to improve health. They included SBHCs as a delivery model that can improve access to health care and promote better health outcomes among children and adolescents. Inclusion of SBHCs in the reputable guide of proven community solutions provides national visibility for the model and has great potential to attract new funders and partners.

“It’s great to see these high-profile groups acknowledge what we have always known: that providing health care in schools is the best way to ensure students have access to the support they need.”

—Larry Bostian, Vice President of Development, School-Based Health Alliance

On the occasion of the Alliance's 20th anniversary, we wanted to recognize and honor two individuals who contributed to the field's political strength over the past two decades.

2015 Lifetime Advocate Award

We presented our 2015 Lifetime Advocate Award to Sue Catchings, Chief Executive Officer of Heath Centers in Schools in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Sue has built a comprehensive, integrated, and first-class school health care program across the entire East Baton Rouge Parish school system. She partners with schools, community physicians, and hospitals to serve 42,000 students on 97 campuses in the state. Her work has influenced the expansion of the model across all of Louisiana.

While her Baton Rouge school-based health program serves as a model for what communities can accomplish with vision and cooperation, her enthusiastic spirit serves as a model for anyone who is passionate about redefining health for kids and teens. Sue is a true advocate, a trusted resource, and a highly valued member of the School-Based Health Alliance.

“Sue fights annually for her state’s investment in SBHCs. She picks up the phone and barks demands of her elected representatives with gentility and Southern charm. And they thank her for the pleasure.”

—John Schlitt, President, School-Based Health Alliance

2015 National Champion Award

The School-Based Health Alliance was pleased to honor U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan with our 2015 National Champion Award.

Senator Stabenow is a dedicated, powerful advocate for our movement and her work has helped strengthen school-based health care at a national level.

Senator Stabenow’s tenure in Congress, both in the House of Representatives and the Senate, has resulted in greater equity in access to health care for the underserved, especially women and children. When we needed a permanent solution to assure SBHCs could be reimbursed through Medicaid and SCHIP, it was Senator Stabenow who led the charge with Senate Bill 1669, The Healthy Schools Act of 2007.

Senator Stabenow also worked to secure $200 million in mandatory funding for SBHCs under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. This led to one of the most dramatic growth spurts for SBHCs in recent history.

It is Senator Stabenow’s deep commitment to our nation’s children that makes her the ideal recipient of the 2015 National Champion Award. Her passion for increasing access to health care for young Americans who need it the most has been a constant theme in her congressional career. Senator Stabenow has never strayed from the maxim: “Healthy students make better learners.” We thank her for her leadership, partnership, and commitment.

“Supporting school-based health care has been a component of Senator Stabenow’s distinguished career. We’re thankful to have her as an advocate.”

—John Schlitt, President, School-Based Health Alliance

Communities Look to SBHCs to Heal

In the previous year, SBHCs’ distinct child and adolescent health expertise, knowledge, and experiences earned them the endorsement of two high-profile commissions formed in response to violent incidents in Newtown, Connecticut, and Ferguson, Missouri. The Connecticut Institute for Communities called for more SBHCs to provide for the long-term health needs of the community, and an SBHC opened at Newtown Middle School in February 2015. One year after the death of Michael Brown, the young black male fatally shot by a police officer in Ferguson in August 2014, the Ferguson Commission included SBHCs in its list of recommendations to improve “childhood mental and physical health” in their community.

“While it’s encouraging to see the value of school-based health care recognized on a national stage, it’s important that the preventive aspect of SBHCs isn’t lost. Having an SBHC in place can help communities efficiently address the aftermath of tragedy.”

—John Schlitt, President, School-Based Health Alliance

States Maintain High-Level Investment

The School-Based Health Alliance surveyed state public health and Medicaid offices for fiscal year (FY) 2014 to assess state-level public policies and activities that promote the growth and sustainability of SBHCs.

We found the number of states that reported investments explicitly dedicated to SBHCs since the FY2011 survey remained unchanged at 18.

For school year 2013-14, these 18 states directed $85.1M to 915 SBHCs—a decrease of five percent from 2010-11. State general funds represented 80 percent of funding, followed by “other” at 14 percent that includes the Social Services Block Grant and Medicaid Match, Title V MCH Block Grant (4 percent), and Tobacco Settlement (2 percent).

Over the last 15 years, total state investments in SBHCs have grown 118 percent despite challenging state budgetary climates in the most recent years. Three states (CO, MI, NM) increased their SBHC funding allocation more than threefold. State general revenue has consistently comprised the largest proportion of funding for state SBHC programs, increasing from 68 percent of total state funding in FY1996 to 80 percent of total funding in FY2014.

States that direct funds to SBHCs report holding programs accountable by setting and monitoring standards, requiring certification, and collecting performance data. The SBHC performance indicators most frequently identified by states include Body Mass Index (BMI) assessment, well child visits, immunizations, and mental health. We anticipate continued growth for the field and an increase in SBHC support from states. Our next State Policy Survey will take place in 2017.

Read the full report

“The data we collect in the state policy survey is vital to our state advocacy efforts. Understanding how these 18 state governments fund their SBHCs allows us to share best practices and help guide new states that are interested in implementing an SBHC program.”

—Suzanne Mackey, Senior Policy Analyst, School-Based Health Alliance

Closing in on 100% Census Completion!

The Alliance is very appreciative of the field's overwhelming response to our call for data. Thank you to everyone who participated—our state affiliates, state program offices, volunteers, and Alliance staff who did an amazing job collecting this crucial information. We set a new record: 82.1 percent of SBHCs completed the survey! The data we collected is vital to our understanding of the SBHC model, and you can view the results in our digital report.

“It’s so exciting to see such a high completion percentage for this census. With so many SBHCs reporting data, we have a clearer picture of the field than ever before.”

—Hayley Lofink, Director of Research and Evaluation, School-Based Health Alliance

What Makes a Great SBHC?

Working in partnership with our state affiliates and experts from the school-based health care field, the School-Based Health Alliance created seven core competencies that represent SBHC excellence in support of student wellness, health, and academic achievement.

In brief, our core competencies are defined as:

Access: Considering location, hours of operation, consent and non-discrimination policies, and broad student populations, SBHCs support increased access to health care and support services.
Student-Focus: SBHC teams deliver a range of services in a developmentally appropriate manner, protect patient confidentiality according to state and federal law, and engage students as advocates, consumers, and advisors.
School Integration: The SBHC is embedded in the school environment, works collaboratively with educators and school staff, participates in crisis prevention and intervention plans, and supports the school’s mission of student success.
Accountability: SBHCs are committed to performance evaluation and continuous improvement, routinely assessing patient and community satisfaction and working toward optimal outcomes.
School Wellness: Promoting a culture of health and wellness is a central SBHC concern and includes attention to the entire school community, including students, staff, families, policies, and curriculum.
Systems Coordination: The SBHC fosters partnerships to improve referrals, care coordination and continuity, and education for families and communities.
Sustainability: SBHCs employ management and business practices with effective administrative and clinical systems, sound billing infrastructure, and standing financial performance metrics that inform strategic planning and sustainability.

The core competencies have gained significant recognition and were recently cited in a 2016 funding opportunity from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

“With such diversity in the model, I’ve always found it hard to answer the question ‘what is an SBHC?’ With our core competencies, we’re on our way. These seven components highlight the best of high-performing SBHCs.”

—Laura Brey, Vice President for Strategy and Knowledge Management, School-Based Health Alliance

2015 Hill Day

School-Based Health Alliance affiliates from 15 states traveled to Washington, DC in February 2015 to meet with policymakers on Capitol Hill.

They joined more than 35 partner organizations and Hill staff for the Alliance’s Congressional briefing, titled “School-Based Health Centers: Partnerships for Student Success.” Our briefing underscored how SBHCs operate at the intersection of health and education; provide quality, comprehensive health care within the school community; and increase access to care while reducing health system costs.

Participants heard from Sue Catchings and Dr. Herman Brister of Louisiana, who discussed Baton Rouge’s innovative, integrated program between schools, community physicians, and hospitals. Jesse White-Fresé of Connecticut catalogued many unique medical and behavioral conditions that SBHCs address in the state and around the country. SBHC Congressional champions John Sarbanes (D-MD) and Lois Capps (D-CA) welcomed the advocates, offering their support for SBHCs and energizing the crowd for Hill visits later that afternoon. At Capitol Hill, our representatives met with more than 60 members of Congress to advocate for federal support for SBHCs.

“It’s always a pleasure to meet with my elected officials in Washington, DC. It’s important to share our stories with them so they hear how school-based health care is improving the lives of their constituents. I see these meetings as my obligation to the field and the children we serve. Who will speak for them but me?”

—Sue Catchings, Chief Executive Officer of Health Centers in Schools, Baton Rouge, LA

Updating Our Digital Footprint

We rebuilt our website in 2015 to strengthen our public profile and communicate our role in improving the health status of children and youth. We have so much to share within our national SBHC community, and the new website is designed to serve as a hub for news, resources, information and guidance.

The website was completely reorganized and features new navigation, resources, news updates, blog articles, and much more. We’ve worked to provide tools that meet the needs of many audiences, including members, researchers, practitioners, advocates, and leaders within our network. We’re happy with the results so far—and hope you are too!

“The new website will change they way we communicate about school-based health care. This site is built on an entirely new system, which allows us to build user-friendly webpages and use technology we never had access to before.”

—Kyle Taylor, Communications Manager, School-Based Health Alliance

2014-2015 Financial Report

Thank you to our funders, donors, members, and affiliates!

Funders

Donors

Lisa Abrams
Laura Brey
Sally Brown
Ben L. Bynum, M.D.
Sue Catchings
James Conzelman
Rita Cook
Antonio Daniels
Nancy Eichner
Willie Graves
Gilbert Handal
Pat Hauptman
Joey Marie Horton
Laura Hurwitz
Cassandra Joubert
Mona Mansour
Jan Marquard
Paul Melinkovich
Steve North
Mary Kay Pera
Karen Saverino
John Schlitt
Diane Schwartz
Sylvia Sterne
Elizabeth Tisdahl
Peter Wallace
Jesse White-Frese
Winston Wong

Member Organizations

A kidZ Clinic
Alameda County Center for Healthy Schools and Community
AMD Global Telemedicine
American Dental Association
American Dental Hygienists' Association
Arkansas Department of Education
Baldwin Family Health Care
Baldwin Family Health Care
Baltimore Medical System
Belington Community Medical Services Association
Bronx Community Health Network, Inc.
Brownsville Community Health Center
Center for Family Health
Centro De Salud De La Comunidad San Ysidro
Cherry Street Health Services
Child and Family of SE CT, Inc.
Choptank Community Health System
Christiana Care Health Services, Inc.
City of mpls - Health Dept
Clayton County Public Schools
Colorado Association for School-Based Health Care
Community Care of WV
Community Clinic
Community Health Center, Inc
Community Health Network
Community Medical Clinic of Kershaw County
Covering Kids & Families of Indiana
Cumberland Family Medical Center, Inc.
DC Department of Health/Community Health Administration
DC Department of Health/Community Health Administration
DHSS, Division of Public Health
Dirne Health Centers, Inc
Douglas County School System
Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation School Health Initiative
Education Plus, Inc.
Eisner Pediatric & Family Medical Center
Envision New Mexico
EverThrive IL, IL School Based Health Alliance
Extraordinary Changes
Family HealthCare Network
First Choice Primary Care
Florida School-Based Health Alliance
Friend Family Health Center, Inc.
Fulton County School System
Fulton County School System
Greenville Health System
Hackley Community Care Center
Health Centers in Schools
Health Choice Network, Inc.
Howard County Health Department
Interact for Health
International Community Health Services
Jefferson Parish Public School System
Kaleida Health SBHC
Kids First Health Care
La Clinica de La Raza, Inc.
LAUSD
Learning Well, Inc
Lincoln Community Health Center, Inc.
Lincoln Primary Care Center, Inc.
Louisiana School-Based Health Alliance
MA Dept Public Health
MADIGAN ARMY MEDICAL CENTER
Maryland Assembly on School-Based Health Care
Mercy Clinic Roosevelt High School
Mercy Delta Clinics/UMMC
Mercy Health SBHC
Meridian Education Resource dba Whitefoord, Inc ( formerly Whitefoord Community Program)
Mitchell SBHC
Mitchell SBHC
Morris Heights Health Center
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Multnomah County SBHC Program
National Association of School Psychologists
Nevada Health Centers
North Country Health Care
North Valley Hospital
Northeast Valley Health Corporation
Oakland Integrated Healthcare Network
Ocean Health Initiatives, Inc.
Office of School and Adolescent Health
One World Community Health Centers
Open Door Family Medical Center, Inc.
Oral Health America
Oregon Public Heatlh Division
Outside In
Park Nicollet Foundation
Peak Vista Community Health Centers
PresenceLearning, Inc.
Primary Health Care Center of Dade, Inc.
Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation
Richmond County Department of Education
Rochester General Health System
Rush University Dept of Community Hlth Nursing
San Bruno Park School District
Santa Cruz County Adolescent Wellness Network
School-Community Health Alliance of Michigan
Shalom Health Care Center, Inc.
Sisters Hospital School Health Program
Sisters Hospital School Health Program
South Beloit SBHC
Springdale School District
SSJ Health and Wellness Foundation
Summit Community Care Clinic
The Children's Aid Society
The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico
The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis, Inc
The HealthCare Connection, Inc.
The Public Health Foundation of Columbia County
Tulare Community Health Clinic
Unity Health Care, Inc.
University Muslim Medical Association, Inc.
University of Colorado College of Nursing
University of Illinois at Chicago Office of Community Engagement and Neighborhood Health Partnerships
Vine Middle Magnet School Health Center
Washington Dental Service Foundation
West End Medical Centers, Inc.
West Side Community Health Services
Western University of Health Science College of Dental Medicine
Wheeler Clinic
Winthrop University Hospital
Yavapai Reg Medical Center
Yellville-Summit Health Center
YMCA of the Eastbay