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.
