Maryland Council on Advancement of School–Based Health Centers

The Maryland Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers has issued its annual report for calendar year 2021. Key deliverables of the Council during 2021 included:

The Maryland General Assembly adopted Council recommendations to: eliminate additional authorization requirements for telehealth by SBHCs, increase funding for the SBHC grant program from $2.5 to $9 million annually, and enhance central agency staffing for SBHCs.
The Council developed recommendations to restructure the SBHC grant program and conduct a statewide needs assessment.
The Council identified strategic priorities related to SBHC data, quality, and best practices to provide guidance to the Bureau of Maternal and Child Health as the Bureau assumes oversight for most aspects of the SBHC program.
The Council issued recommendations to enhance the role of SBHCs in administering the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Council crafted a Vision Statement articulating its Core Values, Vision, and Mission.

During 2021, the Council approved recommendations related to the use of telehealth by SBHCs and the role of SBHCs in the COVID-19 vaccination program. In June 2021, the Council approved its Vision, Core Values, and Mission Statement, as well as a recommended mission for school-based health care in Maryland.

The Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers (Council) has issued recommendations to maximize the effectiveness of school-based health centers (SBHCs) during the current COVID-19 pandemic and future public health emergencies. Recommendations include: actively promoting continuity of care for vulnerable students, developing clear processes and lines of authority to provide SBHC flexibility, supporting remote care (telehealth) by SBHC practitioners, enhancing central agency resources for the SBHC program, and considering access to closed school buildings for certain SBHC activities.

The Maryland Community Health Resources Commission and the Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers partnered with Harbage Consulting LLC to develop a white paper on demonstrating the value of SBHCs in Maryland. Harbage Consulting found that SBHC stakeholders are committed to providing high quality services to children and reducing barriers to care. SBHCs fill a critical role in the health care system by providing needed acute and ongoing physical and mental health services to children in Maryland schools, particularly in underserved areas.

The Maryland Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers was created in legislation approved by the Maryland General Assembly in 2015. The purpose of the Council is to improve the health and educational outcomes of students who receive services from school-based health centers (SBHCs). The Council is responsible for advancing the integration of SBHCs into (1) the health care system at the state and local levels and (2) the educational system at the state and local levels. The Council develops specified policy recommendations to improve the health and educational outcomes of students who receive services from SBHCs.

In 2017, the Maryland General Assembly approved legislation that transferred the staffing responsibilities of the Council from the Maryland State Department of Education to the Department of Health. Under the legislation, the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC) provides staffing support for the Council and is permitted to seek the assistance of organizations with expertise in school-based health care to support the work of the Council. The Council will report specified findings and recommendations to the Department of Health, the Department of Education and the CHRC by December 31 of each year.

In addition to staffing the Council, the CHRC has provided a number of grants to support SBHCs and school health programs. For more information, click here.

The Council is led by its Chair, Kate Connor, M.D., MSPH, and its Vice-Chair, Patryce Toye, M.D. The Gubernatorial appointees to the Council are as follows:

Kate Connor, M.D., MSPH, Chair, representing school-based health care centers

Patryce Toye, M.D., Vice-Chair, representing Maryland Assembly on School-Based Health Care

Cathy Mary C. Allen, representing Maryland Association of Boards of Education

Christina M. Bartz, representing Federally Qualified Health Centers

Sean Bulson, Ed.D., representing Public School Superintendents Association of Maryland

Gabriella Gold, representing commercial health insurance carriers

Diana Fertsch, M.D., representing Maryland Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics

Joan Glick, representing Maryland Assembly on School-Based Health Care

Jean-Marie Kelly, representing the Maryland Hospital Association

Kelly Kesler, representing parents of children served by a SBHC

Arethusa S. Kirk, M.D., representing managed care organizations

Scott Steffan, representing Maryland Association of Elementary School Principals

Rick Robb, representing a secondary school with a SBHC

Maura J. Rossman, M.D., representing the Maryland Association of County Health Officers

Joy Twesigye, representing Maryland Assembly on School-Based Health Centers

To organize its activities, the Council created three work groups:

Systems Integration and Funding Work Group, chaired by Dr. Maura Rossman

The Priorities of the System Integration and Funding Work Group are to: (1) Understand local and national models for system integration and funding for SBHC; (2) Identify ways that SBHCs are leveraging resources and coordinating care across state and local agencies and service providers; (3) Identify the funding and service linkages between MSDE, DHMH, DHS, and other public agencies; (4) Clarify the roles and improve the coordination across and within agencies (state and local) making sure systems are aligned to make the SBHC initiative sustainable longterm; and (5) Review current SBHC RFP and application process to identify ways to improve the review and approval of SBHC.

Data Collection and Reporting Work Group, co-chaired by Joy Twesigye and Cathy Allen

The priorities of the Data Collection and Reporting Work Group are to: (1) Establish performance measures to present the impact of SBHCs on health and education outcomes of students; (2) Identify opportunities to link SBHC utilization data to educational outcomes; (3) Identify opportunities to better capture data for substance abuse and behavioral health services; and (4) Develop a trend analysis to understand the impact of SBHC over time by jurisdiction and population served.

Quality and Best Practices Work Group, chaired by Jean-Marie Kelly and Patryce Toye, M.D.

The priorities of the Quality and Best Practices Work Group are to: (1) Revise the SBHC standards; (2) Study SBHC sponsorship models employed in Maryland and nationally; (3) Understand current approaches to coordination of care and determine gaps in the provision of care (somatic, substance abuse and behavioral health services); and (4) Identify effective, sustainable business models – state and national best practices.