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ENewsletter February 2009
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Message from the Executive Director |
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CSHC Conference Just a Few Weeks Away |
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Policy Updates |
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News from the Field |
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CSHC News |
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Tools & Resources |
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Conferences & Workshops |
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Job Postings |
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Message from the Executive Director |
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Dear Readers,
Thank you for your continued input and support to put health care where kids are… in school!
We are putting the final touches on our two-day conference in Sacramento, which will be a great blend of workshops, presentations, socializing, and advocacy. Please join us!
We are celebrating the reauthorization of SCHIP which included a definition of school health centers – the first ever in a federal health insurance reimbursement program. CSHC helped advocate for the inclusion of school health centers in the bill. Stay tuned because 2009 is shaping up to be an exciting year.
On another note, I'm sad to announce that Kristin Curran, CSHC's Deputy Director, will be leaving us in March. Kristin has played a major role in all of our growth and success, particularly our bills, AB 2560 and SB 564. Kristin will be working for the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in San Francisco and will be their health insurance/school health specialist. We all wish Kristin the best and look forward to working with her in her new capacity! Please help us circulate our job posting for a new Associate Director (see below Job Postings).
Serena Clayton
Executive Director |
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CSHC Conference is Just a Few Weeks Away |
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 There is still time to sign up for CSHC's 2009 conference on March 3-4 in Sacramento , “Putting the Pieces Together: Policy, Practice and Resources for School Health and Mental Health.” The first day is packed with engaging, informative and interactive workshops. And on the second day, be prepared to listen, learn and be heard during School Health Day at the Capitol. That's when we will have a youth-led rally followed by visits to legislators, and a policy briefing for state staffers working on school health issues. School Health Day at the Capitol is being held in collaboration with the California School Nurses Organization. For more information on the entire conference, please click here.
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Policy Updates
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 New Administration Brings New Opportunities for School Health Centers
As the country welcomes a new President, CSHC is working with the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care (NASBHC) and our state partners to ensure school health centers are a part of the change coming out of Washington , D.C. First, the federal economic stimulus package may be an opportunity for school health centers. We are collecting input about projects that would be good candidates for funding from the stimulus. Please be sure to provide input by filling out our survey. More information can be found in the email alert we sent out on February 2nd. Link to our survey.
Secondly, we are working with NASBHC and California Congresswomen Capps and Davis to reintroduce a federal authorization bill aimed at creating a federal grant program for school health centers. Once the bill is introduced, we will be in touch with additional information and guidance around advocacy efforts.
Finally, there are signs that the new Administration may take up health care reform shortly after the economic stimulus package is passed. We are working with NASBHC, our colleagues from other states, and the National Governors Association to prepare to incorporate school health centers into health care reform.
SCHIP Reauthorization Signals Victory for School Health Centers
On February 4th, President Barack Obama signed the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), ensuring that children already enrolled in the program will continue to get the health coverage they need, and expanding SCHIP so states can cover more uninsured children. This victory is even better because the reauthorization includes a definition of school-based health centers – the first ever in a federal health insurance reimbursement program. CSHC worked with NASBHC to define and advocate for the inclusion of SBHCs in the bill. This is a major foothold for school health centers in the Social Security Act and opens the door for emerging opportunities for reimbursement and recognition from the federal government. To view the language, go to NASBHC website.
SCHIP funds California 's Healthy Families Program, which provides coverage to 900,000 California children. The reauthorization will extend SCHIP for four and a half years paid primarily through an increase in federal tobacco taxes. California could receive $1.5 billion in the first year — enough to extend coverage to children in families up to 300 percent of the poverty level . However, in order for California to maximize the available funding, the state must contribute $1 for every $2 that comes from the federal government, which would mean rescinding the cuts made to the Healthy Families program last fall. For more information, visit the 100% Campaign website.
State Bill Introduced to Cover all Kids
The first state bill to be introduced this legislative session was SB 1 (Steinberg), which would increase children's eligibility for the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs. SB 1 would expand income eligibility requirements and make coverage available to all children regardless of citizenship or immigration status. The bill would also make it easier for families to enroll and keep their children covered by: reducing paperwork; reinstating community-based outreach, enrollment, and retention strategies; and improving state electronic enrollment systems. For more information and to download a sample support letter, please visit the 100% campaign website. To view the text of the bill (PDF), click here.
State Budget Crisis Poses Severe Threats to Health and Education
At the time of this writing a budget deal still has not been reached. Given the $16 billion in cuts already made in recent budgets, further decreases pose a very severe threat to key programs and services . For example, the Governor's 2009-10 budget proposal includes: restricting Medi-Cal eligibility for low-income parents, which is estimated to prevent 429,000 parents with incomes below the federal poverty line from qualifying for Medi-Cal; eliminating Medi-Cal dental services; and limiting health coverage for legal immigrants. There is also a proposal to divert Mental Health Services Act funds to support general fund mental health programs. On the education side, the Governor has proposed: reducing K-14 spending to the minimum level required by Proposition 98; eliminating COLAs for K-12; and allowing schools to shift categorical funding to their general fund. For a summary (PDF) on all the risks to children's health programs, please go to click here. To read the summary (PDF) of all the proposed cuts, go to the California Budget Project's website.
Family PACT Waiver Extended
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has granted an extension of the Family PACT waiver through March 31, 2009 . Family PACT is a state program that provides comprehensive family planning services to low-income men and women, and is an important source of revenue to school health centers across California . The waiver renewal is currently being negotiated between CMS and the California Department of Health Care Services, with a final determination expected prior to March 31, 2009 . We will stay abreast of statewide advocacy efforts and will let you know if there is anything school health centers can do to support these efforts. In the meantime, please contact Sang Leng Trieu , LA Field Coordinator, at strieu@schoolhealthcenters.org with any questions.
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News from the Field
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Spotlight on: Manual Arts High School 's Youth Health Action Board
While the health center at Manual Arts High School looks pretty typical in many ways, what makes this school health center special are the students who help with everything from overseeing teen pregnancy prevention and nutrition programs, to spearheading student outreach, to facilitating meetings and working on policy briefings for local and state policy makers. “We really rely on the energy of the students to get the word out on campus about our services and programs,” explains Matthew Moyer, project coordinator at Manual Arts Health Center . “And when the clinic was in danger of closing, it was the students who rallied and did everything they could to save it.” To read the full spotlight (PDF), please click here.
LA Youth Policy Briefing on School Health with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and Los Angeles Policymakers
The Policy Leadership Program (PLP) at Manual Arts High School is excited to announce an upcoming policy briefing event to highlight issues of school health. This program is in collaboration with students from John Marshall High School , Roosevelt High School , and Metropolitan High School , and is supported by the California Center for Civic Participation, CSHC, and the LA Coalition of School Health Centers. Event details:
Date: Friday, February 27, 2009
Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Place: Manual Arts High School
4131 S Vermont Ave. , Los Angeles , CA 90037
(cross streets: Martin Luther King and Vermont Ave)
If you have student advocates at your campus interested in participating in this advocacy effort, please email Sang Leng Trieu at strieu@schoolhealthcenters.org . Please come out to join other school health center advocates and support the students.
Orange County SBHC meeting
There will be a meeting of Orange County school health center providers and advocates in February:
Date: Monday, February 23, 2009
Time: 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Place: Orange County Department of Education
200 Kalmus Drive , Costa Mesa , CA 92626
Room: Esplanade Building #4, Suite 102 conference room
Come to meet other school health center providers and advocates, network, and share resources. Please pass this announcement along to others who may be interested. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to Sang at strieu@schoolhealthcenters.org or at (213) 694-1250 by February 19th.
Next LA Coalition of School Health Centers Meeting
The next LA Coalition of School Health Centers meeting will be held on Thursday, February 19, 2009 , from 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm at LA Care Health Plan. LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas will share with the group his vision for health care and how we can work together to expand school health centers. The LA Coalition unites stakeholders in advocating for public policies that support school health centers by building partnerships, fostering networking and sharing resources, and serving as a channel of communication about school-based health care in Los Angeles County. |
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CSHC Issues Position Statement on Reproductive Health Education and Services in Schools
The CSHC Board of Directors has approved a position statement outlining why reproductive health education and services are an essential component to school health centers. We encourage school health advocates to use the statement in making their case for reproductive health education and services. The statement begins:
“The California School Health Centers Association believes adolescents should have access to comprehensive, age-appropriate information and services in order to make informed decisions about their health and well being. School health centers provide a safe, confidential and youth friendly environment that is accessible to all students. CSHC recognizes reproductive health education and services as an essential component of quality health care for adolescents, and one of the most effective strategies for preventing sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, and unplanned pregnancies.” To read the entire statement (PDF), please click here.
The California Family Health Council Recognizes Sang Leng Trieu
 The California Family Health Council is honoring CSHC’s Field Coordinator Sang Leng Trieu as a 2009 Family Planning Champion. Sang will receive her award during the annual Statewide Title X Business Meeting on March 9th at the Center for Healthy Communities in Los Angeles. Join us in congratulating Sang on her outstanding leadership in improving adolescents’ access to reproductive health services in California!
Youth Board Report
CSHC's Youth Board is working diligently to increase youth voice in policy and advocacy. They will be delivering a workshop, Raise the Volume! Effective Ways to Engage Youth in the School Health Movement, at our annual conference on March 3rd. In addition, they are conducting trainings throughout the month of February to enhance youth advocacy skills and to prepare students for School Health Day at the Capitol on March 4th (part of our conference in Sacramento). Bay Area-based Youth Board members will be preparing West Contra Costa County Unified School District youth to advocate for their school health centers with principals and other stakeholders. Another youth board member will be training American Cancer Society student group participants for their participation in School Health Day. Wish them the best as they get ready for March 3rd and 4th!
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Blues Blaster Fights Depression
 The Oregon Center for Applied Sciences has created a fun and educational computer program to help adolescents ages 11 to 15 learn about and prevent depression. Adapted from an empirically validated intervention, the Blues Blaster program includes six CBT modules, interactive and educational games, and additional content related to youth depression. Youth who participate in this research study will be compensated up to $120 for their time. Organizations providing recruitment assistance will receive free access to this evidence-based program after it has been evaluated. To get additional information about the Blues Blaster project, please call 866-822-0226 or email bluesblaster@orcasinc.com.
2009 California Report Card
Facing the state’s record budget deficit, the report card show why children should come first. For each area of children’s policy covered, the Report Card provides the most up-to-date data on the status of California’s children; overviews key 2008 public policy and budgetary developments that affect children; defines policy objectives of improving children’s well-being; and lays out immediate actions for California’s leadership to pursue. To access the Report Card, go to the Children Now website.
Core Competencies for Adolescent Sexual & Reproductive Health
 The core competencies are intended for adult providers and educators of adolescent sexual and reproductive health. These competencies are the foundation of professional capabilities—knowledge, skills, attitudes—that all providers might strive to possess in order to deliver effective, sensitive, and appropriate sexual and reproductive health programs and services to adolescents. They are intended as an interdisciplinary guide for providers to be used across various programs and service settings to enhance the level of service delivery and to improve continuity and consistency. To access the core competencies, go to the California Teen Health website.
County Level Disparities Data
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network's Multicultural Health Web Portal now highlights searchable data from nine California counties, selected because of their high concentration of communities of color:
Alameda, Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Santa Clara. The Web Portal's easy-to-use online tools cut through the vast research on health disparities, helping advocates save valuable time for analysis and action. Our new county data includes: important demographic data; health conditions by race and ethnicity; and data on access to health care. For more information, go to the CPEHN website.
Implementing the Family PACT Program
This easy-to-use self-study online module will help your staff successfully implement the Family PACT program. For more information please click here.
Oral Health Intervention Guidelines for Pediatric Providers
 Acknowledging that medical professionals often have more contact with children than dentists, especially in the infant and toddler years, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released new intervention guidelines encouraging pediatricians to include oral health screening and education in their practice on a more routine basis. For more information, visit the AAP website.
Privacy Protection for Student Health Records
The Departments of Education and Health and Human Services have released joint guidance regarding how the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) relate to one another and how they apply to the privacy of student records maintained by schools. The guidance categorizes “educational records,” “treatment records,” and “personal health information” and defines what type of student information is considered in each category. Additionally, the guidance provides examples of institutions and actions subject to each of the laws, delineates when different portions of the laws are applicable, and denotes proper methods for disclosure of information. The guidance (PDF) is available for review at the Health and Human Services website.
Unrealized Health Potential: A Snapshot of California
Levels of health for most California children fall short of levels for children in the  most-advantaged subgroups in the state and across the country. This snapshot describes these gaps as well as the social factors that are linked with these differences in health. State studies are published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America. To see the California study (PDF), click here.
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Conferences & Workshops
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Medi-Cal Billing
Sponsor: EDS Provider Training Unit
Date: 25 Feb 2009
Place: Doubletree Hotel San Francisco Airport in Burlingame, CA
Contact: http://files.medi-cal.ca.gov/pubsdoco/eo/training.asp
The EDS Provider Training Unit coordinates and conducts numerous Medi-Cal training seminars that benefit both new and experienced billers. These seminars target providers and billing staff who are either new to the Medi-Cal program or who have specific Medi-Cal billing questions.
Connecting Students to Health Care:
How the School-Based MAA Program Can Help
 Sponsor: Bay Area Partnership for Children and Youth
Date: 27 Feb 2009
Place: 1515 Clay Street, Elihu Harris State Building, Oakland CA
Contact: deanna@bayareapartnership.org or 510-830-4200 x1605
The Bay Area Partnership for Children and Youth would like to invite you to attend a region-wide convening to talk about the benefits of school-based efforts to link students to health care and how the School-based MAA (Medi-Cal Administrative Activities) Program can support these programs. Discussion will include an update on the status of the School-based MAA Program at the federal level; sharing best practices; and talking about how school districts and county agencies can work effectively together.
Sex :: Tech 2009
Sponsor: ISIS Inc.
Date: 22-23 March 2009
Place: San Francisco, CA
Contact: http://www.isis-inc.org/
The conference will include over 400 public health folks, technology innovators, and academic researchers. Conference tracks include: mobile technologies; policy and advocacy for sexual rights; sex education information delivery in schools; youth led innovations; social marketing using new technology; and effective partnerships.
Unlocking the Playground: Achieving Equity in Physical Activity Spaces
 Sponsor: California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
Date: 9 April 2009 (Fresno); 12 April (Oakland); 28 April (San Diego); 4 May (Los Angeles)
Place: Fresno, Oakland, San Diego and Los Angeles, CA
Contact: Ruben Cantu at rcantu@cpehn.org
Many of our communities lack safe and accessible spaces to be physically active. Join us in looking at opening up public facilities, such as schools, as a solution. Hear how your fellow community members have developed joint use agreements with their local organizations. Strategize on local and statewide advocacy on this important, emerging issue. More information will be available in March.
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Job Postings
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Associate Director, California School Health Centers Association
CSHC is seeking an Associate Director (AD) to be based in our main office in Oakland . The AD will have responsibility for overseeing and developing the work of the organization in the areas of development, communications, and administration. This position works closely with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors and will have a high level of independence, responsibility, and decision-making authority. Salary DOE beginning at $70k. For more information please click here.
Qualified candidates should submit their cover letter and resume to: CSHC, 660 13th Street Suite 202 , Oakland CA 94612 . No phone calls or emails please.
Director, Health and Wellness, Oakland Unified School District
Under the direction of the Executive Officer, Complementary Learning, direct and oversee the management and coordination of all school district health and wellness programs, school-based health centers, school nursing services, coordinated school health, nutrition education, and mental health support programs. This job is full-time, 12 months per year. Salary is $82,000-$104,892. For more details and to apply, please click here. For more information or questions please call Samantha Blackburn at 510-375-3185. |
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