NMASBHC Newsletter
March
2015

A Note from the Executive Director 

 

The staff and Board of NMASBHC are pausing to take a breath after the close of a very busy legislative session. We advocated hard for SBHCs throughout the long session, which resulted in many bills being heard and new allies being built. Unfortunately, it did not result in an increase in the NMDOH budget for SBHCs, but we'll try again next year! Looking forward to April, we are excited about the opportunity to convene with many of you at our Annual Meeting at this year's Head to Toe! Don't miss this chance to share your input about our work as your advocates and to see individuals in your field be recognized in our annual awards!  Please also visit us at our silent auction to take home exciting items and help us raise funds for our organization! 

Best Wishes,

Nancy Rodriguez

nancyrodrigueznmasbhc@gmail.com

What You'll Find In This Newsletter (click to jump to section):

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highlightsSBHC Highlight: SBHCs and GRADS--Collaborating to Support Expectant and Parenting Teens 

 

NMASBHC is identifying best practices at SBHCs across the state; we are also creating a series of briefs on these practices, particularly those where SBHCs are partnering with GRADS Programs to support Expectant and Parenting Teens (EPT).  Visit our new website tab to check out new resources: http://www.nmasbhc.org/gradsparenting-teens.html. We're excited to thank the Roswell SBHCs, the Ruidoso SBHC and O�ate High SBHC in Las Cruces for their input on a brief about how SBHCs can work with Public Health offices to help students access healthcare services; watch for it coming soon! In the meantime, check out the other resources, particularly the dual referral form that SBHCs and GRADS staff can use to tell students about each other's services.

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Job Opportunitiesjobb 

NMASBHC Seeking Program Manager 

The New Mexico Alliance for School-Based Health Care is seeking a new Program Manager to advance the mission of our organization through support of the SBHCs in New Mexico. The position description is available on the NMASBHC website: http://www.nmasbhc.org/news.html, and applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Please contact nancyrodrigueznmasbhc@gmail.com for more information. 

Belen SBHC Seeking Coordinator

The Central Regional Educational Cooperative is seeking a new Coordinator for the Belen High School School-Based Health Center. Please contact Linda Filippi (LFilippi@crecnm.org) for information about the position.

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trainingConvening Opportunities

NMASBHC Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony: Save the Date/Time!
Please join the Board and Staff of New Mexico Alliance for School-Based Health Care as we gather for our Annual Meeting and Awards Reception!  All school-based health center staff, allies and supporters are welcome to this event, being held in conjunction with the Head to Toe conference and SBHC pre-conference.  The event will take place on April 15 from 5:30 to 7:30pm in the Picuris Room at the Convention Center.  NMASBHC envisions healthy students who are ready to learn and advocates for all SBHCs across our state; join us to celebrate SBHC champions and discuss our plans for the next year!

NMASBHC Head to Toe Silent Auction: Donate or Save Your Dollars to Participate!
Back by popular demand! The New Mexico Alliance for School-Based Health Care will be presenting a silent auction during Head to Toe. We'll open for bids at 11:00am on 4/15 and close bids at 4:00pm on 4/16. Wonderful wine tasting events, purses, artwork and much more will be offered. Come browse the display in the Anasazi (#10) room of the Convention Center. The money raised supports the SBHC advocacy work of NMASBHC. Contact nancyrodrigueznmasbhc@gmail.com if you have an item to donate, or visit the auction to participate!

Head to Toe SBHC Pre-Conference: New and Exciting Clinical and Financial Trainings

 
This year's SBHC Head to Toe Pre-Conference has an agenda rich with offerings for clinical, managerial and coordinating staff members. It will also include a special national speaker sharing best practices for SBHC financial sustainability, an important business meeting for OSAH-funded SBHCs, and a Medicaid MCO panel aimed at answering your questions about billing, credentialing and Medicaid benefits. Visit http://attendhead2toe.com/sbhc-preconference/ for registration information.
 
Head to Toe Conference and Health Expo EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION CONCLUDES--DON'T MISS THE NEXT DEADLINE
Don't miss out on Head to Toe advance registration. If you missed early bird registration, you can still save by registering in advance of the conference. The next deadline is April 1st! Visit: http://attendhead2toe.com/cost/ for more information and to register.
 

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advocacyNMASBHC Seeking Volunteer Board Members 
  
NMASBHC is happy to announce that we are accepting applications from candidates to the Board of Directors. More information and the application can be found at this link: http://goo.gl/forms/q6wHLml3JP.  Please note that there are reserved seats for at least two members under the age of 18, and at least one member under the age of 35. Applications are due March 31st.

 

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fundingProvide Your Input on a NM Definition of SBHCs!

NMASBHC has convened a working group to create a formal New Mexico definition of SBHCs, and we would like your input.  Please visit: http://www.nmasbhc.org/news.html to see the draft version. It is based on the School Based Health Alliance's efforts at a national definition, the language from the Children's Health Insurance Program Re-Authorization Act, and the work of the 2015 NMASBHC SBHC Definition Working Group.
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shoppinggStudent Attendance, Achievement, and SBHCs 
 

Visit: http://www.nmasbhc.org/news.html for an update/article from Mission: Graduate on Student Achievement and Attendance.  Learn how important attendance is as a student achievement indicator, how SBHCs help, and start planning your efforts to encourage school registration in August: Attendance Awareness Month.

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colleagueColleague Congratulations  

Amanda Lopez Askin, NMDOH SMHA, selected for NMSU Board of Regents! 
Please join NMASBHC in congratulating Amanda Lopez Askin on her recent appointment to the NMSU Board of Regents.  In addition to her work as a School Mental Health Advocate for NMDOH and a long-time supporter of SBHCs, Ms. Lopez Askin is a doctoral student in educational leadership administration at NMSU. Read more about Ms. Lopez Askin in these Las Cruces Sun-News articles: http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_27666943/governor-nominates-nmsu-doctoral-student-regent-position and  http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_27723961/senate-confirms-nmsu-student-regent-lopez-askin.
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focusAdolescent Patient Resources: April is National Alcohol Awareness Month

This is our monthly feature on adolescent health resources.  This month's resource is focused on alcohol use and abuse in recognition of National Alcohol Awareness Month.  Send your teen patients to: http://ncadd.org/for-youth/self-test-for-teens to test the effect alcohol use may be having on their lives.  You also may be interested in the sobering science on mixing alcohol and energy drinks, a popular trend among young people, available from NCADD: http://ncadd.org/for-youth/alcohol-energy-drinks.

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