School-Based Health Center Action Team
Purpose
In 2006 the Washington County Commission on Children and Families, the Northwest Regional Education Service District, and the Vision Action Network, in collaboration with County Mental Health and Public Health, the Superintendents of all seven Washington County school districts and other community partners began looking at the possibility of developing school-based health centers with the purpose of providing access to health and mental health services to the youth of Washington County. To assist in this effort the SBHC Action Team was formed.
Membership
The Committee consists of representatives from the Commission on Children and Families, the faith community, the medical community, and various community groups.
Current Goal
To develop School-Based Health Centers throughout Washington County as a strategy for increasing access of uninsured and underserved children and youth to culturally and developmentally appropriate prevention, primary care and mental health services.
Meetings
Please check the CCF Calendar to see dates and locations for School-Based Health Center Action Team meetings.
Past Projects
November 2008 – A letter was sent to Governor reiterating the importance of SBHCs and requesting he not cut funding for this important service. A second letter was sent to Washington County legislators asking for their support and advocacy.
April 2008 – Governor Kulongoski attended the opening of the Tigard High Health Center Grand Opening and was clearly supportive of making access to health care for youth a continuing priority of his administration. The new Tigard High Center provides health, mental health and substance abuse services to 2,000 enrolled students and another 11,000 students in the district on an appointment basis. The CCF has contributed $10,000 to the initiative and has helped to leverage more that 1.4 million in grants and financial commitments.
April 2008 – Forest Grove School District approves establishment of a School-Based Health Center at Forest Grove High School . In February they were notified that they will receive a Community Development Block Grant to help pay for a building to house the center.
December 2007 - $550,000 have been committed from various sources to support the development of SBHCs in Tigard-Tualatin, Forest Grove, Beaverton and Hillsboro school districts over the next four years.
November 2007 – Three grant applications have been submitted to support SBHCs. A $30,000 grant has been awarded to help with start-up of the Tigard High School Center. Remodeling of space to hold the center has begun.
June 2007 – The School-Based Health Center Initiative was awarded $40,000 by United Way of Columbia Willamette, which will be used to develop a SBHC at Tigard High School.
March 2007 – More partnerships have been developed and interest around the SBHC Initiative continues to grow. A document titled "Proposed Site Location Criteria for School-Based Health Centers" has been developed. This draft document examines access to health services, size of school, need for SBHC, duplication and general access.
September 2006 – Commission members and staff, representative of Washington County Health Department, Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center and Vision Action Network met to discuss building a partnership to examine the feasibility of increasing the number of school-based health centers in order to increase access to health services for youth. Currently there is only one such center in Washington County.
