School Health Bulletin - September 2, 2010
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Register now for the
2010 Annual Conference of Oregon SBHCs!
Honoring a Legacy - Advancing a Future
Celebrating 25 years of school-based health care in Oregon!
When: October 8, 2010, 7:30a - 5:00p
Where: Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon
HOTEL: The Best Western University Inn and Suites is just down the road from the the conference site. The conference rate expires on September 6! Make your reservation today and ask for the school-based health care rate of $83.96.
You'll find additional hotel listings on the Network website.
REGISTER: www.osbhcn.org/conference10/register!
Why? This is the only state-wide SBHC conference in Oregon! Why would you miss this once yearly opportunity to mix with Oregon's experts in the field of school-based health care? We promise an action-packed day of professional development, round-table discussions, educational experiences and dynamic networking!
Workshop Descriptions and CEUs: Information about CEUs for this conference is forthcoming. In past years most of the workshops at this conference have qualified for credit.
Please download the workshop descriptions HERE.
Registration fees:
Adults, $110.00 (After September 27, $150.00)
Youth, 10 to 18 years, FREE
College Students, $50.
More info: All of the conference details are available on line at www.osbhcn.org/conference10.
REGISTER NOW - CLICK HERE
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Join NASBHC for two free one-hour webinars
Construction and Renovation of SBHCs
Wednesday, September 8, 10:30 PST
What: Health Resources and Services Administration is expected to release new program guidance for the federal grant opportunity around construction and renovation of SBHCs in Fall 2010.
To prepare for this, learn steps and considerations for an SBHC construction or renovation project from an architect and an SBHC professional.
Read More Here
Bright Futures
Thursday, September 9, 11:00 PST
What: Kick-off NASBHC's Back-to-School webinar series with a review of the Bright Future Guidelines and their connection to SBHCs.
Read More Here
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More Research Links SBHC and
Decreased Early Dismissals
Journal of School Health, August 2010, Vol. 80, No. 8
The findings in this recent research suggest that SBHCs have a direct impact on educational outcomes such as attendance. Read the full report HERE.
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Federal Policy
 A Message from Liz Smith Currie
Policy Director
Last week's state revenue forecast was down
$377 million for the remaining months of this biennium. Federal education and health care
funds are helping to reduce immediate cuts,
but the long term prospect for all state programs
is grim.
Funds for the next budget biennium may be short as much as $3.5 billion. If that is the case, it is unlikely that any program will be held harmless.
Advocates MUST be prepared to support the SBHC program.
What you can do:
- Attend your legislative town halls and candidate forums. Talk about how SBHCs are providing access to health care for kids who otherwise might not get the care they need.
- Take your legislators on a tour of your SBHC.
- Write letters/emails to your legislators about the importance of SBHCs.
- Work with your sponsors to create the best possible billing and reimbursement system.
- Consider applying for the capital and equipment grant which will be offered this month through HRSA. Now that most children in Oregon have access to health insurance through the Healthy Kids Plan, SBHCs can build a more robust billing system.
- Attend SBHC Day at the capitol in February (tentatively scheduled for February 9th).
Together, with strong, coordinated messages, we can help keep state support for SBHCs.
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FMAP Rate goes UP!
We are pleased to share a major policy "win" with the adjusted Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage (FMAP) rate.
Every state received a 6.2% increase in their rate and an adjustment based on the state's unemployment rates.
For Oregon, the combination of these two adjustments increased the rate from $62.74 to $72.87 through June 2011.
This chart provides what percentage each state will receive given the temporary increase and the unemployment adjustment. See the document at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-21235.pdf.
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Call for Public Comment on Rules for
Clinical Preventive Services and Confidentiality for Youth
The Affordable Care Act requires many health plans to provide coverage for clinical preventive services without co-payments or deductibles. This includes clinical services graded A or B by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, immunizations recommended by ACIP, and services recommended for children and teens in Bright Futures. STD screening and counseling, Pap smears, and HPV immunizations are included.
Despite this expansion of coverage, adolescent utilization of STD screening and other sensitive services may be impeded by an inadvertent breach of confidentiality. When a healthcare provider seeks payment from a health plan, the plan is required to issue an explanation of benefits (EOB) to the policy holder, often a parent or guardian, to detail the services provided. Thus, the EOB may inadvertently disclose an otherwise confidential service. This is a complex issue that is confounded by numerous federal and state laws and regulations, but it must be addressed to ensure young people take advantage of preventive care. Possible solutions to address this issue were laid out in a letter to DHHS Secretary Sebelius signed by Partnership for Prevention, ACOG, AAP, and SAHM.
Public comments can be made until September 17, 2010. Partnership for Prevention urges you to review the Federal Register notice and submit comments affirming the importance of addressing barriers to confidential preventive care. Comments can be submitted via email or through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Contact us at ncc@prevent.org (National Chlamydia Coalition) if you have questions.
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YOU can help shape health reform in Oregon!
Oregon Health Authority holds public forums in September.
Under federal law, by 2014 all individuals will be required to carry insurance or pay a penalty. Individuals earning up to 400% percent of the federal poverty level will receive a sliding scale subsidy that will cap premiums and out of pocket expenses and they will receive a tax credit to help pay for insurance premiums.
Oregon's policy makers are leading the way in creating some of the infrastructure and policies needed to achieve this massive change in our health system.
The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Health Policy Board are seeking input as they plan to lower costs, increase access and improve the quality of health care. They need your input to make sure that their plan meets your needs.
One of the key elements that is being discussed is a "health insurance exchange," which is basically a market place where consumers can compare plans and choose the one which fits their needs. How this exchange works could have a major impact on the affordability of plans.
Please attend one of the six community meetings being held statewide. Download the flier HERE.
To learn more, please visit www.oregon.gov/oha.
DATES/LOCATIONS OF PUBLIC MEETINGS:
BAKER CITY: Tuesday, September 7, 6 to 8 p.m.
Baker County Library 2400 Resort Street Baker City, OR
FLORENCE: Thursday, September 9, 6 to 8 p.m.
Florence Events Center 715 Quince Street Florence, OR
PORTLAND: Monday, September 13, 6 to 8 p.m.
University Place (Columbia Falls Room) 310 SW Lincoln Street Portland, OR
MEDFORD: Wednesday, September 15, 6 to 8 p.m.
Red Lion Inn (Crater Lake Room) 200 N. Riverside Avenue Medford, OR
BEND: Thursday, September 16, 6 to 8 p.m.
Central Oregon Community College Campus Center Building (Wille Hall) 2600 NW College Way Bend, OR
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Tigard High SBHC seeks FNP / PA
Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center is hiring a .6FTE for the Tigard High SBHC. Get the Details HERE!
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Also in this Issue....
Building Capacity
* Construction Funding
* Bright Futures Guidelines
*Latest Research
Read more here.
Federal Policy Updates
Click Here
Grant Funding Alert
Click Here
Help Shape Health Reform in Oregon!
Learn how here.
Job Posting
Here
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Thank you to our Sponsors!
www.careoregon.org |
Grant Funding Alert
The Nathan Cummings Foundation
provides Health Program Grants as part of its commitment to improving people's health and well-being, especially for those with low- to moderate-socioeconomic status and the disadvantaged.
The Foundation supports projects that address any of their three objectives:
health access;
environmental health;
capacity building.
Deadline: Rolling (Letters of Inquiry)
More Info Here
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Network with us on Google Groups!
The Network has launched a professional networking group of more than 200 SBHC professionals - practitioners, administrators and partners. If you would like to join, send your request to info@osbhcn.org.
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Meet Annie!
Annie Colombo has recently joined the Network as the Resource Development Coordinator.
She is a recent graduate from DePaul University in Chicago, where she studied Sociology (with a focus on Health and Health Services) as well as Community Service Studies. As a member of AmeriCorps, her new position combines her passion for grassroots organization and her desire for a more effective and equitable health care system.
Annie plans to build on her prior experience with grant writing and resource development to increase the Network's capacity and sustainability.
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Network Staff
Paula Hester
Executive Director
Liz Smith Currie
Policy Director
Jennifer Melo
Program Director
Betse Thielman
Healthy Kids in School
Program Director
Jennifer Sansom
Operations Coordinator
Annie Colombo
Resource Developmenet Coordinator
(503)-813-6400
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Network seeks
board members
The Network seeks to expand its
board with members to support and further its mission to advance access
to quality health care for children and youth.
Read more here |
SEE YOU AT CONFERENCE!
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