What's Happening at CASBHC

Rural Health Consortium

CASBHC has initiated the Rural Health Consortium, a workgroup that will meet quarterly to share ideas about rural SBHC models that work. The "product" of the group will be a report describing the challenges of developing SBHCs in rural school districts and possible solutions. Our first meeting will be September 28, 2008 in Salida. Thanks to Sherrod Beall, Southwest Open School in Cortez, for suggesting the Rural Health Consortium.

Directory of Colorado SBHCs

CASBHC will publish a directory of school-based health centers within Colorado. The directory will contain locations, hours, phone numbers for appointments, and listing of available health and financial services. CASBHC members and SBHCs will automatically receive complimentary copies upon publication. To request additional copies of our free publication, contact our office at 303-399-6380 or email us at  info@casbhc.org.

CASBHC Data Collection

CASBHC is preparing for the upcoming 2008 legislative session by completing a monograph on state funding for school-based health centers in Colorado and by partnering with the Colorado Health Institute to collect data on SBHC utilization and financing. The report will address the four sources of potential state funding, opportunities, barriers, and recommendations. The data collection effort is a part of CHI's Safety Net Monitoring project.

CASBHC partners with COAPPP for Annual Conference

CASBHC has partnered with COAPPP (the Colorado Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting, and Prevention) to co-sponsor a conference April 17-18,  2008 in the metro area. The broad conference topic will be related to proven approaches for reducing teen pregnancy, STD and HIV and effective health education curricula. If you have a current CASBHC individual membership, you will be entitled to a registration discount.

If you are interested in serving on the planning committee or volunteering for the event, please contact the CASBHC office at 303-399-6380. Stay tuned for details.

Members in the News

Sherrod Beall, nurse practitioner for the Southwest Open School SBHC in Cortez, has been selected for The Colorado Health Foundation Fellows Program for 2007. She joins 18 other distinguished community leaders in the effort to improve health and health care in Colorado. Participants include representatives from business, nonprofit advocates, government, and health care. Sherrod and her coworkers at the Southwest Open School were recognized by CASBHC as the 2006 Outstanding SBHC.

Donna Shocks, Manager of Department of Nursing Services for Denver Public Schools, was named as one of 15 finalists for the 2007 Nightingale Awards presented by the Colorado Nurses Foundation. The Nightingale Awards honor nurses who best exemplify the philosophy and practice of Florence Nightingale, a 19th century nursing pioneer who epitomized the art of helping people toward their optimal health. Donna was elected president of the CASBHC Board of Directors in January 2007. She has served on the CASBHC Board since 2005.

Lonna Bloom, Physician Assistant at Escuela Tlatelolco SBHC in Denver, received the 2007 Society for Adolescent Medicine Regional Chapter Recognition Award. A long-time supporter of CASBHC and children's health advocate, Lonna joined the CASBHC Board of Directors this year as a representative of Rocky Mountain Youth Clinics. Lonna chairs the CASBHC Training and Technical Assistance committee.

News

New SBHCs open

Three new school-based health centers will be welcoming students this fall. New centers will open at Northside Elementary School in Montrose, Durango High School in Durango and Lamar High School in Lamar. These communities spent the past year developing a business plan and raising funds to bring quality health care to low-income children in their schools.  Centers in Basalt and Lakewood hope to open soon.

Community Health Services Awarded Grant

Congratulations to Community Health Services. CHS has been awarded $1.2 million from the Colorado Health Foundation to fund a prototype for school-based health and prevention in the Adams County School District 14. The Healthy Schools Partnership initiative will provide integrated physical and mental health services, prevention, recreation, and after-school programming for middle and high school students.

Within Adams County School District 14, CHS sponsors school-based health centers at Hanson Elementary, Adams City Middle, Kearney Middle, Adams City High, and Lester Arnold High. CHS also sponsors an SBHC at Baker Elementary in the Adams County School District 50. Based in Commerce City, CHS is the oldest operational SBHC program in the state and one of CASBHC's original organizational members.

Colorado School Health Improvement Initiative

The Colorado Trust has introduced the Colorado School Health Improvement Initiative. CASBHC was among the participants in The Trust's November 2006 summit that identified the key issues on school health. Through the initiative, an infrastructure and improvement plan will be developed and a 2-year community grants program will be established. The grants program will fund expansion of health services, including school-based health centers.

Events and Training Opportunities

SBHC Planning Workshop, October 22, 2007

8:30 am - 4:00 pm, Summit Conference & Event Center, 411 Sable Blvd. in Aurora.

In partnership with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, CASBHC will sponsor three one-day workshops for those communities interested in opening a school-based health center. The first workshop will be October 22nd. The workshop is free and lunch is provided.  Please contact the CASBHC office at 303-399-6380 to register.

Hot Topics in Adolescent Medicine, October 26, 2007

7 am - 4:30 pm at the Summit Conference & Event Center, 411 Sable Blvd. in Aurora.

Keynote speaker is Robert T. Brown, MD, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, Crozer Medical Center in Upland, PA. This event is sponsored by the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Rocky Mountain Regional Chapter, Society for Adolescent Medicine. Online registration is available at the uchse.edu website.

Denver Health 20th Anniversary Celebration, October 30, 2007

11:30 am - 1:30 pm. Mile High Station, 2027 West Lower Colfax Ave. in Denver.

The Denver Health Foundation invites you to join in celebrating 20 years of supporting Denver Health's School-based Health Centers. Individual tickets are $75; sponsorship levels begin at $750. For more information, contact Candice Jones, 303-436-3725.

Denver Health has been an organizational member of CASBHC since our inception.

Funding Information

Caring For Colorado

The application deadline for Caring for Colorado grants is October 5, 2007. The foundation has funds for projects in Community Health, Enabling Informed Health Decisions, and Health Infrastructure. See http://caringforcolorado.org/ for additional requirements.

The Colorado Health Foundation

Application deadline for grants from The Colorado Health Foundation is January 15, 2008. The foundation funds nonprofits that promote health and improve access to health care within their communities. For information see  http://www.coloradohealth.org/grantmaking/.

Job Opportunities

School Nurse, Westminster Area

If you love to work with children and adolescents and enjoy working in a Community Health setting, this exciting School Nurse position in the Westminster area is for you.  No weekends, nights or holiday duty (190-day school year). BSN required. Health and dental benefits provided. Malpractice insurance paid. Corporate contributions to retirement plan available.

Community Health Services is a 28 year not-for-profit organization providing school-based health and school nursing programs in two school districts in Colorado. Please send resumes by email to Betty Pepin, Executive Director, Community Health Services or fax to the attention of Betty Pepin at 303.289.7378.

Training and Technical Assistance Director

CASBHC has an opening for a Training and Technical Assistance Director. The Training and Technical Assistance Specialist engages communities in considering, planning, and implementing school-based health centers and meets the needs of CASBHC members for ongoing training and technical assistance related to providing high quality, integrated preventive and primary physical, mental and dental health services. Application deadline: October 12, 2007. Click for full job description.

Profile on Weld County SBHC

Kids' Care Clinic
Centennial Elementary School
1400 37th Street
Evans, CO  80620

In each issue, we will introduce you to a SBHC program in Colorado. Thanks to Liz Clark, Health Services Coordination for Weld County School District 6, for contributing the information on the Kids' Care Clinic at Centennial Elementary in Evans.

The Kids’ Care Clinic is the result of the collaborative efforts of the Weld County School District 6, Sunrise Community Health Center, North Range Behavioral Health, Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment, and the North Colorado Health Alliance. The clinic was one year in the making before opening its doors in October of 2004. Initially the services were provided in a mobile health van, until funding could be secured for a permanent structure in the fall of 2006.

The clinic is a stand-alone building on the grounds of Centennial Elementary School in Evans. In addition to the students and siblings of Centennial, the clinic is open to students and siblings of Cameron and Dos Rios Elementary Schools, starting fall of 2007.

The clinic is open 5 days a week from 9 am – 5 pm during the school year. Services provided include well-child exams, immunizations, health education, mental health care, diagnosis and treatment of minor acute illness and injury, specialty referrals, mental health services, and dental screenings and referrals.

The clinic is staffed by Sandy Hoyman, PA, of Sunrise Community Health Center, dental screenings are provided on-site by Sunrise Family Dental Clinic Dental Hygienists, and referred services are provided by Sunrise Community Health Center. Elizabeth Segura provides the clerical duties and is the Medicaid Eligibility Enrollment Specialist.  Addie Campbell, LPC, Therapist, North Range Behavioral Health provides mental health treatment.  All services are provided by bilingual, Spanish speaking staff.

Over the past two school-years, the Kids’ Care Clinic has experienced an increase in number of patients and number of visits.  Last year, the clinic provided an average of 16 services per day. As of March 31, 2007, the clinic had achieved a 100% immunization rate for Cameron and Centennial students.

Like most SBHCs, the Kids’ Care Clinic’s on-going challenge is securing stable and diversified funding and continued integration with community support.

For more information, please contact Liz Clark, Health Services Coordinator for Weld County School District 6, at 970-348-6243, or by email at eclark@greeleyschools.org.