Karen Berg

1. “The Role of SBHCs through the Eyes of Educators”National Assembly on School-Based Health Care June 30, 2007 Washington D.C. Karen Berg Policy DirectorIllinois Maternal and Child Health Coalitionand Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers kberg@ilmaternal.org John Dively Eastern Illinois University jdively@eiu.edu JAIME DIRCKSEN Manager of Family and Community Partnerships CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS jcdircksen@cps.k12.il.us STEVE SMITH Principal MARION HIGH SCHOOL ssmith@marionunit2.org

2. Objectives • Participants will gain an understanding of educational policies related to academic success and intersections with the mission of SBHCs. • Participants will gain an understanding of professional educators’ perceptions of the relationship between educational goals and health, mental health and social service providers in the context of SBHCs. • Participants will gain an understanding of common purposes, positive messages and effective strategies that can create and develop long-term relationships between education entities and health providers consistent with the goals of the SBHC movement.

3. Illinois Coalitionfor School Health Centers • Inclusion of education objectives in strategic plan • Successes • Illinois State Board of Education • Professional organizations and publications • Local partnerships and policies • Engagement in policy efforts

4. Many conclude that persistent achievement gaps must result from wrongly designed school policies – either expectations that are too low, teachers who are insufficiently qualified, curricula that are badly designed, classes that are too large, school climates that are too undisciplined, leadership that is too unfocused, or a combination of these. In some cases they may be right. However…

5. What’s needed: • highly qualified teachers • effective school leadership • well designed curricula • supportive school communities • smaller class sizes • school environments that are conducive to learning • programs to address educational needs of entire school populations

6. Five major areas that are vital to closing the achievement gap: • Greater Income Stability and Equality—supporting incomes of low-wage parents • Stable Housing—national policy to reduce mobility of low-income families may do more to boost test scores than many instructional reforms • Early Childhood Education • Summer/After School Programs

7. School-Community Clinics that provide comprehensive programs for school communities especially forthose with high numbers of disadvantaged children.

8. Marketing messages that appeal to school communities • Close the Achievement Gap • Lower Student Absences • Lower Teacher Absences • No significant costs to the district • Completely separate…no administrative oversight • Parents Don’t Have to Leave Work • Medications delivered

9. Another Reason Educators Should Consider SBHCs (Illinois’ Illini Plan)

10. WHAT WOULD ALL THIS COST? To close the achievement gap, it will cost an additional $12,500 per pupil over and above the $8,000 average to provide these programs to low-income students. A total of 156 billion annually Which is 2/3 of the average annual tax cuts approved since 2001 & less than ½ amount spent in IRAQ to date

11. What can/should we do to close the achievement gap? INFORM OUR VARIOUS AUDIENCES ABOUT THE MANY VARIABLES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP ADVOCATE FOR POLICY CHANGES THAT WILL ADDRESS THESE NEEDS. IN PARTICULAR TO THIS DISUCSSION—WE NEED TO LOOK FOR PARTNERSHIPS/INNOVATIVE WAYS TO ADDRESS STUDENT HEALTH NEEDS.

12. Chicago Public Schools

13. Coordinated School Health @ CPS: Organization and Function • Physical Health Requirements: • Dental/Oral Health Examinations • Immunizations • Physical Health Examinations • Vision and Hearing Screenings • IEP/504 Related Services • Social/Emotional Learning Competencies: • Self-awareness • Social Awareness • Self-management • Relationship Skills • Responsible Decision Making • Priority Health Behavior Areas: • Alcohol and Other Drug Use • Injuries and Violence • Sexual Health Behaviors • Tobacco Use • Dietary Behaviors • Physical Activity • Office of Specialized Services- Coordinated School Health: • Physical Development & Health • Comprehensive Health Education • Family and Community Partnerships • HIV/AIDS Prevention • Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy • School Nursing • Vision and Hearing Program • Mental Health Services • Avenues for Success • Local Area Network (LAN) • ICARE/Behavior Interventions • Safe and Drug-Free/Title IV Programs • School Psychology • School Social Work • Social & Emotional Learning • Elementary Counseling • Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) • School Based Problem Solving • Quality Assurance • Crisis Intervention

14. CPS School Health Centers • 21 currently operating • +1 Mental Health Only • 2 to open in 2007-2008 • 5 funded to open in 2008-2009 • 4 closed due to County budget • 3 will re-open in 2007-2008 • Project # of Centers in 2007-2008=26

15. Healthy Children are Healthy Learners • One child in four -- fully 10 million -- is at risk of failure in school because of social, emotional, and health handicaps.1 • …data from Harvard University’s School of Public Health Found a strong correlation between poor nutrition and health and low achievement. 2 • Poor children have twice the average rate of severe vision impairment. 3 • Untreated cavities are nearly 3 times as prevalent among poor children than among middle-class. 4 • Low income students, particularly those living in densely populated urban areas have substantially higher asthma rates. 5 • Low income students have dangerously high blood lead levels. 6

16. School Health Centers and CPS Successes • Development of Site License Agreement • Development of Formal School Health Center Establishment Process • Cook County Health System • Clinic closures • Chicago Mobilization

17. Tips for Success • Believe in the Model • Develop Strong relationships • With State Funder/Certifier • With Illinois Coalition of School Health Centers • Within the School System • With the Community Health System • Persistence and Responsiveness

18. Challenges • Big Systems=Lots of hands • Education Systems don’t embrace Health • Time

20. Marion, IL - Community Profile • Location: Rural southern Illinois • Population: 17,100 • Demographics: • White non-Hispanic: 92% • Black: 4.3% • Additional Minority: 3.4% • Employment Opportunity: Public Administration and Healthcare • College Educated: 23.1% (Bachelor degree or higher) • Median Income: $30,364 • 14.9% below poverty rate • Median Age: 40 years old

21. Marion Unit #2 District Profile • Student Enrollment – 4065 • Faculty: 240 • Support Staff: 300 • Eight Buildings • 5 Elementary • 1 Middle School • 1 High School

22. Healthcare Provider & Wellness Center Partner • Shawnee Health Service • Not-for-profit 501(c)(3) • Federally Qualified Health Center • Serves the lower 13 counties of southern Illinois • 10 service centers (Including Unit #2 Wellness Center) • Designed to ensure that income or lack of insurance is not a barrier to quality health care

23. Idea To Implementation • During the 2003-2004 school year, talks began between school administration and Shawnee Health professionals • Opposition was met from both community health providers and high school administration • Timeline for start date did not allow sufficient time for grant writing and funding • Start up funds and facility work all provided by Marion Unit #2 and Shawnee Health • Resulted in the only school based health center in Illinois that is not supported by federal or state grant $

24. Marion Unit # 2 Wellness Center • Housed at Marion High School • Converted classroom • Approximately 900 square feet • Staff • 1 PA • 1 LPN • 1 Dentist • 1 Receptionist • Services • Chronic and acute illness • Minor injuries • Routine physicals • Health education • Disease prevention • Dental Services • Serves Marion Unit #2 student, faculty, staff, and their immediate families

28. Wellness Center Survey • If so, how many times have you used the clinic? 21% Once 52% 2-5 times 21% 6-10 times 6% More than 10 • Has the clinic reduced your absenteeism from work? 50% Yes 50% No • If yes, what % best describes your reduction? 54% 0-20% Reduction 26% 25-50% Reduction 10% 55-75% Reduction 10% More than 75% • Do you see this as a benefit to working at Unit #2? 82% Yes • What is your perception of the impact the clinic has had on student attendance in your classroom? 89% Increased attendance 11% No change

29. Serving Patients (Students & Staff) • Academic Year – 2004-2005 • High School – 335 • Jr. High- 93 • Elementary – 217 • Staff – 400 • Academic Year – 2005-2006 • High School – 419 • Jr. High – 158 • Elementary – 340 • Staff - 608 • Academic Year – 2006-2007 • High School – 584 • Jr. High – 221 • Elementary – 434 • Staff - 709

30. Faculty & Staff Attendance Record (Sick Days) • Academic Year 2004-2005 • Average Sick Days – 11.3 per employee • Academic Year 2005 – 2006 • Average Sick Days – 10 per employee • Academic Year 2006 – 2007 • Average Sick Days – 8 per employee • Note: Reduction of 3.3 sick days per year per employee saves the district: $119,000 per year (3 New Teachers)

31. Advantages to School and Community (i.e. Marketing Message) • Lower student absences • Lower teacher absences • No cost to the district • No administrative oversight • Parents don’t leave work to get child treated • Medication delivered on site

32. Contact Information Stephen C. Smith, Principal Marion High School Marion, IL 62959618-993-8196 ssmith@marionunit2.org

33. Questions

34. Bibliography Rothstein, R. (2006) Reforms that could help narrow the achievement gap. WestEd. Retrieved September 15, 2006, from WestEd database, at http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/pp-06 -02.pdf Rothstein R. (2004) The achievement gap: A broader picture. Educational Leadership. 62, 3, 40-43. Rothstein, R. (2004). Using social, economic, and education reform to close the black-white achievement gap. New York: Teachers College Press.