NATIONAL STUDY FOCUSES ON DHS SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER
NATIONAL STUDY FOCUSES ON DHS SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER
Site Visit Findings to be Released to the Public in Fall 2010
The Durango High School-Based Health Center (“DHS SBHC”) was chosen by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation as one of six selected school-based health centers in the nation to participate in a research study currently being conducted by the Altarum Institute.
The study, titled “School Health and Prevention”, examines models across the country for the provision of population-based preventive services in school settings. The states and schools included in the study were selected through a careful process involving examination of health statistics on the State level, States’ responses to the Center for Disease Control’s School Health Policies and Programs study, and school-based health centers’ responses to the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care’s 2007-08 Census survey.
During the week of April 18th, two researchers from the Altarum Institute spent three days interviewing school officials, health center staff, and partner agencies looking at all aspects of the DHS SBHC. Some of the major research questions addressed through the study included:
1) what is the scope of prevention activities undertaken in schools with school-based clinics;
2) how do schools without school-based clinics address wellness and prevention;
3) what outcomes are tracked in order to monitor improvement in wellness among students;
4) to what extent does Medicaid funding help schools provide chronic disease care and prevention;
5) what are the funding sources schools use to support their prevention activities and provision of health services.
These and other questions will be addressed in a series of case studies to be developed through the site visit. The findings of the site visit will be analyzed and presented in a final report with recommendations for supporting and expanding preventive health services in schools. This information will be released publicly sometime this Fall.
For further information regarding the participation of Durango School District 9-R in this study, please contact Sherrod Beall, Health Coordinator, at 247-5411, Ext. 1417.
If you’d like more information about this topic, contact Marty Kay Hutton in the 9-R Communications Office at [email protected] or at 970-247-5411, ext. 1400.
