ERIC ED466324: School-Based Health Care: What Can Child Advocates Do? Fact Sheet.

7 Pages·2002·0.18 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
PS 030 501
ED 466 324
Kilbourne, Susan; Schlitt, John
AUTHOR
School-Based Health Care: What Can Child Advocates Do? Fact
TITLE
Sheet.
National Association of Child Advocates, Washington, DC.
INSTITUTION
Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, MI.
SPONS AGENCY
.2002-00-00
PUB DATE
NOTE
6p.
National Association of Child Advocates, 1522 K Street, NW,
AVAILABLE FROM
Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005-1202. Tel: [phone];
Fax: [phone]; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site:
http://www.childadvocacy.org.
Non-Classroom (055)
PUB TYPE Guides
MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
*Adolescents; Change Agents; *Change Strategies; *Child
DESCRIPTORS
Advocacy; *Child Health; *Children; Elementary Secondary
Education; Financial Support; Health Insurance; Health
Needs; *Health Programs; Low Income; Minority Groups
*School Based Health Clinics; School Based Services
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
Because school-based health centers are located in areas
serving a large percentage of low-income minority children, they have the
potential to provide health care services to millions of children lacking
health insurance. Although support for these centers is growing, funding
remains in jeopardy. This fact sheet details what child advocates can do to
help ensure that school-based health centers remain in operation to serve
children who need crucial health services. The fact sheet maintains that
child advocacy organizations can lend their public policy expertise and
advocacy experience to health care providers by assisting in advocacy
campaigns, helping health care advocates increase public support for their
programs, bringing together key stakeholders, and training newcomers to the
advocacy field. Suggestions are provided for framing an argument for using
the school setting as a child-focused safety net strategy. The fact sheet
asserts that child advocates can take a lead role in advocating for funding
to sustain and expand important health resources for children. It is argued
that child advocates are ideally positioned to play a strategic role in
promoting health and well-being of children in their states by advocating on
behalf of school-based health centers. The fact sheet concludes with a list
of organizations for additional information.
(KB)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
School-Based Health Care:
What Can Child Advocates Do?
Fact Sheet.
Susan Kilbourne
John Schlitt
National Association of Child Care
Advocates
2002
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
11:4
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
CENTER (ERIC)
BEEN GRANTED BY
)31- This document has been reproduced as
::...)
.
received from the person or organization
Noel
con
originating it.
yeKs
C
0 Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality.
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
official OERI position cr policy.
2
AVAILABLE
BEST COPY
National Association of Child Advocates * Fact Sheet
School-Based Health Care:
What Can Child Advocates Do?
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHILD ADVOCATES
SUSAN KILBOURNE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ON SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CARE
JOHN SCHLITT
All child advocates know that families and schools work hard to ensure care and support for the well-
being and educational success of our children. But they face a difficult challenge to providing the
healthy environment children need to be successful: 9.2 million children in America have no health
and therefore are receiving little or no preventive and acute health care. Millions of children and
insurance
adolescents are in need of mental health services, help with substance abuse problems, and treatment for preg-
have substantial health care needs, but the lowest
nancy or sexually transmitted diseases. Children ages 10-19
utilization of health care services of any group, and are the least likely to seek care at a provider's office.
Furthermore, risky behaviors are the leading threat to the health of school-aged children and youth. This challenge
the doctor,
is compounded by parents who are not afforded time off from work to take sick children to
depressed communities with few supports or services, and school climates prone to tension and violence.
and advocacy experience to this
include African Americans (29%)
School -Based Health
important children's health issue.
Hispanics (26%), Asians (4%), and
Centers: Part of the Solution
Native Americans (3%).
Hundreds of communities across the
Nuts and Bolts: Child advocates
country have established school-
who become involved in the issue of
Although support for school-based
based health centers as one part of
school-based health care can assist
health centers continues to build
the solution to these complex prob-
state school-based health associa-
momentum across America's com-
lems. Designed to place health care
tions with the "logistics" of advocacy,
munities, funding for centers is in
where children can access it easily,
an area new to many center health
constant jeopardy. Most centers
centers offer a wide range of services,
care providers. Child advocates can
receive at least some funding from
including primary and preventive
also work in coalition with school-
state sources, and are therefore at
care, treatment of acute and chronic
based health centers and associations
risk during budget debates. For the
physicals, mental
sports
illness,
to share the workload of an advocacy
children who receive care at these
health care, dental care, laboratory
centers, budget cuts mean losing
campaign.
depending on the age
tests, and
"kcal
crucial health services. Those chil-
Advocacy Expertise: Child advo-
range and community approval
dren need advocates.
cates can share expertise regarding
reproductive health services. Over
grassroots lobbying, community
1400 health centers deliver primary
What Can Child
mobilization, legislative advocacy,
preventive and early intervention
Advocates Do?
media, and administrative advocacy
services to more than a million chil-
The providers who run school-based
techniques. Using all of these strate-
dren of all grade levels in urban,
health centers are first and foremost
gies, child advocates can help school-
rural, and suburban schools across 45
and they are
based health care advocates work to
health care providers
states, a ten-fold growth in the past
often overwhelmed with the daily
increase public support for school-
decade. School-based health centers
based health care and to remove
demands of patient care and admin-
are strategically located in areas serv-
istrative tasks. Working in coalition,
barriers to establishing centers.
ing a large percentage of low-income
child advocacy organizations can
minority children. On average, the
CONTINUED
lend their public policy expertise
populations served by health centers
3
National Association of Child Advocates * Fact Sheet
insurance payment structures. State and
CONTINUED FROM PAGE I
age children. For far too many children,
federal public health, primary care, and
the health centers are not just an entry
Bridge-Building: Child advocates can
mental health resources should be
point into acute care, but the sole source
play a pivotal role in bringing together
greatly enhanced so that opportunities
of health care. School-based health cen-
the key stakeholders in school-based
ters have proven themselves to be a
for reducing racial health disparities and
health care: providers, schools, and
valuable component of a culturally
strengthening the health services pro-
health organizations. Child advocates
competent, coordinated system of care
vided to our most vulnerable school-age
can work with private insurers to per-
populations are fully realized.
that emphasizes early detection, assess-
suade them to cover services provided
ment and intervention. They should be
to children and teens at school-based
Child advocates can take a lead role in
one of our first lines of defense.
health centers.
advocating for funding to sustain and
expand these important health resources
Federal, state, and community leaders
Mentoring: Experienced child advocates
for our children. Joining with center
must be persuaded to protect and safe-
can inspire and train newcomers to the
administrators, staff, and school-based
guard these crucial safety nets and
field of advocacy
health care advocates, child advocates
encourage linkages with schools to en-
can work in their states to promote
hance primary care access and delivery.
Advocating for
legislative and administrative support
Federal and state funding for maternal
School-Based Health Care
for school-
especially budgetary support
and child health programs and commu-
based health centers, which ultimately
nity health centers remain vital to main-
Few health and mental health programs
promotes the health and well-being
taining preventive services that might
are as effective as school-based health
of children and adolescents.
otherwise be cut because of inadequate
centers in providing access to school-
FRAMING THE ARGUMENT
Why the School Setting as a Child-Focused Safety Net Strategy?
Dallas Public Schools, for example,
health concerns that are key to suc-
Unprecedented Access
recently reported that as many as 95%
cessful learning. The entire school
School-based health centers have
climate is enhanced by the health
of their student population is with-
been successful because access is
care presence. The truism that
out health coverage.
immediate and the health center staff
unhealthy children cannot learn res-
becomes identified as part of the
onates with educators whose mission
Continuity
school culture. Regardless of their
it is to prepare children to become
insurance coverage, students widely
Early and continuous engagement of
healthy, responsible, and productive
accept and use the health centers.
young people in their health care is a
adults. They cannot accomplish these
On average, 65% of the student body
unique hallmark of school-based
goals solely with education dollars.
registers with the health center; 87%
health care. Unlike mainstream
of enrollees use the center at least
providers who have limited contact
once each school year. Assurance of Care
with their patients, school-based
health center staff has the advantage
School-based health centers provide
Students use the health centers be-
of proximity to create substantive
a guarantee of meaningful access to
cause of their convenient and famil-
relationships with high-risk children
comprehensive physical and mental
iar setting and because of a staff of
and youth. The ability to establish
health care to uninsured children
professionals who are comfortable
connections between health provider
and youth, and to those children who
and experienced with the school-age
and patient is key to effective identi-
have insurance but cannot or do not
population. Parents value the centers
fication of physical, behavioral, and
access their provider. Many school-
because of convenience as well, and
emotional health issues that, left
based health care providers report
because services are delivered at low
that, despite Medicaid and CHIP
unchecked, could have consequences
or no cost. Schools welcome the
of human dysfunction and increased
enrollment efforts, the rate of unin-
health centers because they attend to
health care costs.
sured remains extraordinarily high.
the physical, emotional, and social
4
National Association of Child Advocates * Fact Sheet
School-Based Health Care and Child Advocates:
Working To Meet the Challenge
of Health Care for All Children
important component in a system
National Assembly on School-Based
Child advocates are ideally positioned
to play an important and strategic
that provides health care services to
Health Care have undertaken a joint
role in promoting the health and
all children, regardless of insurance
project to strengthen advocacy at the
state level for school-based health
well-being of children in their states
status or income level. Child advocates
have an opportunity to rise to the
by advocating on behalf of school-
centers. Several NACA members are
based health centers. Recognizing
involved in this issue in their states,
challenge of promoting school-based
that, the National Association of
and have had exciting successes.
health care for all children.
Child Advocates (NACA) and the
School-based health centers are an
'
A
School Community
Health Alliance of Al
FL Coalition for
Susan Kilbourne
Kathleen Conway, President
National Association of
School-Based Health Care
PH: 313/874-5483
Child Advocates
Linda Gilliland, CPNP
kconwayl @hfhs.org
1522 K St., NW Suite 600
PH: 407/293-0933
Washington, DC 20005
NM SBHC Coalition
lidsinfl @ufl.edu
[phone] Fax: [phone]
Susan Cowing (Contact)
IL Coalition of School-Based
www.childadvocacy.org
PH: 505/841-5876
Health Centers
[email protected]
National Assembly on
Karen Berg, Coordinator
School-Based Health Care
NY Coalition for
PH: 312/491-8161
666 11th St., NW Suite 735
School-Based Primary Care
[email protected]
Washington, DC 20001
Chris Kjolhede, Co-Chair
Fax: [phone]
[phone]
KY SBHC Association
PH: 607/547-3255
[email protected]
www.nasbhc.org
Michelle Napier, President
a
N5,..As,sociation of School-Based/
PH: 859/824-0141
Linked)Health Centers
[email protected]
State School-Based
lood, President
Joyce
Health Care Associations
PH: 9
[email protected]
/8/.8=003,
LA Assembly on
School-Based Health Car
AZ School-Based
oalltion of
Enid Broyard MN, President
Health Care Council
wool- ased
ealth Centers
PH: 504/944-8864
Phil Lopes, Executive Director
m Si cic, P esident
[email protected]
PH: 602/263-8067
503/, 88
372
[email protected]
[email protected]
ME,Uhool-Based
Health Care Assembl
seLly
CA Assembly on
of
RI
Lisa Bela ger, President
School-Based Health Care
SchoolsBasedrHealth Care
207/ 74-8988
Irwin D. Staller (President)
Carol FrisFa-,`Coordiryd/or
[email protected] and.me.us
PH: 209/466-3271
PH: 401k74--177
"[email protected]
[email protected]
MD Assembly on
ssoci Lion of
T- C
School-Based Healare
CO Association of
School-Based Health Centers
Pat Hauptman \Executive Director
School-Based Health Centers
Jenni Jerinings, Past President
PH: 410/823-279\
Barbara Ford, Executive Director
PH: V4/943-4646
[email protected]
PH: 303/322-9699
jjerth'[email protected]
[email protected]
MA Coalition of
WV School-Based Health
School-Based Health Center
Assembly
CT Association of
Barbara Farrell, President
Carol A. Whetzel, President
School-Based Health Centers
PH: 413/784-8349
PH: 304/897-5915
Deborah Poerio, President
[email protected]
[email protected]
PH: 860/622-5340
1
5
© 2002 by the National Association
of Child Advocates
This document was prepared with the generous support
of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
This document is available online under
"Publications" at www.childadvocacy.org.
Susan Kilbourne
National Association of Child Advocates
Washington, DC 20005
1522 K St., NW Suite 600
fax: [phone]
office: [phone]
[email protected] www.childadvocacy.org
1 i
John Schlitt
National Assembly on School-Based Health Care
Washington, DC 20001
666 11th St., NW Suite 735
fax: [phone]
office: [phone]
www.nasbhc.org
v '
6
U.S. Department of Education
Office
of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI)
Educidlonal Resources Inhumation Ctaler
National Library of Education (NLE)
Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)
NOTICE
Reproduction Basis
This document is covered by a signed "Reproduction Release
(Blanket)" form (on file within the ERIC system), encompassing all
or classes of documents from its source organization and, therefore,
does not require a "Specific Document" Release form.
This document is Federally-funded, or carries its own permission to
reproduce, or is otherwise in the public domain and, therefore, may
be reproduced by ERIC without a signed Reproduction Release form
(either "Specific Document" or "Blanket").
EFF-089 (5/2002)