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 2023. Key deliverables of the Council during 2023 include:

1. The Council issued recommendations for data to be collected and analyzed through the SBHC annual survey and other data sources. These recommendations, requested by the Bureau of Maternal and CHild Health, included a number of suggested measures and the rationale for collecting each. Additionally, the Council recommended that the Department issue annual reports using SBHC data and use survey findings for data-driven decision-making.

2. The Council developed recommendations for a future SBHC quality and/or process improvement program. The recommendation proposed that such a program should not be implemented for 18 months or more, but planning should begin now. While SBHCs already are required to implement quality and/or process improvement programs, an opportunity exists to provide them with more support and feedback, including through a learning collaborative.

3. The Council developed recommendations related to the proposed requirement for a minimum of eight hours over two days per week of in-person clinician services at SBHCs. At the request of the Bureau, the Council considered whether minimum requirements should be set for weekly in-person clinician hours at SBHCs. The Bureau had included these requirements in its draft Revised Standards. The Council recommended that, while eight hours over two days per week would be ideal, SBHCs should have some flexibility and support.

4. Council recommendations supported a policy change by Maryland Medicaid to begin covering sports physicals (Preparticipation Physical Exams – PPE) by SBHCs. As part of its SBHC billing recommendations issued last year (2022), the Council recommended authorizing Medicaid reimbursement for sports physicals provided by SBHC clinicians. Maryland Medicaid, working with the Bureau, accepted that recommendation, and effective August 14, 2023, SBHCs may now bill Medicaid for sports physicals.

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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.

Membership:

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

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

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

Scott Steffan, representing an elementary school with a SBHC

The Council currently has five vacancies: local Superintendent, secondary school principal of a school with a SBHC, Local Health Officer, parent of a child served by a SBHC, and a representative of the Maryland Assembly on School-Based Health Care.

Council Workgroups:

Systems Integration and Funding Work Group, chaired by Dr. Kate Connor

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 Joan Glick 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.

Meeting Dates, Agendas, and Meeting Minutes of Council and its Work Groups

Upcoming Meetings

Full Council:

December 18, 2023 1:00-2:00

Click here for Meeting Link Meeting ID: 813 4546 1467 Passcode: 140281

CASBHC | Systems Integration and Funding Workgroup [Standing Meeting]
Thursday, April 27 · 3:00 – 4:00pm
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/xvf-gknv-uzf
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 484-841-5074‬ PIN: ‪160 687 602‬#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/xvf-gknv-uzf?pin=4634086400586