It’s that time of year again!
Summer is coming to an end and students are heading back to school. This
year, the ICSHC back-to-school campaign is focused on the intersection
between school health and education. The message of the Health is
Academic campaign is simple: “Want
to succeed in school? Visit your school health center”!
We want to support administrators, teachers and families in ensuring
that their students are healthy and ready to learn. This is also a very
exciting time for SHCs on a national level, as SHCs have been included
in Congressional Healthcare reform bills. Now, is the time to join
school health centers across the country in helping to ensure that SHCs
are included in healthcare reform by taking part in National School
Health Center Week during September 14th-18th.
During this week, 1700 SHCs across the country will scheduling 20-30
minutes phone meetings with their Congressional offices to raise
awareness about the SHC model and to ensure that SHCs are included in
the Healthcare reform legislation. By promoting our SHCs on a local and
national level, we will raise awareness and support for the model during
this unprecedented and critical time.
There are three goals for this year’s campaign; you can
find out more in the campaign letter.
·Schedule a Congressional phone
meeting for National School
Health Center Week from
September 14th-18th and watch Virtual SHC Tourvideo (coming
soon)
All school health centers will be receiving Health is
Academic packets in the mail. You may also download the same
materials from the above links or by visiting our
resource area.Please contact Megan at
merskine@ilmaternal.orgor by phone at 312-491-8161 ext. 29
with any questions.
* Don’t forget to turn in your Health is Academic
Report Back Form by Friday, October 15th by faxing it into Megan at
312-491-8171. All SHCs that submit their forms will be entered in a
raffle for $30 gift certificate to a grocery store of their choice. Two
winners will be drawn!
Awareness Month
provides the opportunity to advance our policy priorities to sustain
school health centers and to build and expand relationships with our
partners in our communities. Now, is the time to build momentum by
reaching out to elected officials, state and local leaders, and the
general public about the importance of SHCs to Illinois' students and
families. This year's Awareness Month will focus on 3 key activities,
but there are a variety of ways to accomplish them depending on your
time and capacity. Please go here for
more details about how to get involved!
1.)
Contact your elected officials about supporting your school health
center
a.As
you know from previous emails, there may be opportunities to fund school
health centers
through the Federal Stimulus package, a state
capitol bill or increased funding for new school
health centers in the state’s budget. Your
elected officials need to hear about the needs
of your school health center now!
Urge Senate
President Cullerton and your legislators to include increased school
health center funding in a Capitol Bill by going
here to send an email. It is quick and easy!
Go to
www.ilga.gov to locate your legislators’ contact information.
Invite them to visit your school health center.
2.)Attend
School Health Center Advocacy Day and the School Health Center Rally in
Springfield on April 1st!Go here to download important
resources. For more information
regarding Advocacy Day, please
contact Megan at
merskine@ilmaternal.org or by phone at
312-491-8161.
3.) Present the School
Health Center PowerPoint presentation and share the new Fiscal
Year 08 SHC Report Card at one
meeting or a event! Go here to access the Why Care pdf
and School Health Center FY08
Report Card. To receive the School Health Center or
Why Care PowerPoint by email,
please contact Megan at
merskine@ilmaternal.org.
School Health Center
Advocacy Day Report
The Illinois
Coalition for School Health Centers would like to thank everyone who
attended the School Health Center Advocacy Day on April 1st in
Springfield. This year marked the largest student-led Advocacy Day to
date.
Over 330
individuals participated, representing 20 different schools and over 20
different organizations and sponsoring agencies. Schools travelled from
all over the state, from South Beloit to Anna-Jonesboro and all the way
from Cahokia to Chicago to communicate with their legislators about
including $3 million for school health centers in a capital plan.
To energize
the student advocates, the Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers
and the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health held a Student Health
Rally that took place in the Capitol Rotunda. The event was led by the
ICSHC Youth Advisory Council (YAC). Senator Trotter, Representatives
Collins, Dunkin, Feigenholtz, Harris, Hernandez and Osterman spoke to
the crowd of student and adults about the important role that school
health centers play in the lives of Illinois’ youth. Thank you again for
a successful day!
The School Health Center Fiscal Year 08 Report Card
is now available!
The Illinois Coalition
for School Health Centers is pleased to announce that the School Health
Center FY08 Report Card is now available. Data was collected from 43
out of the 50 school health centers that reported and compiled into
statewide, downstate, suburban Chicago and Chicago -wide templates.
Please use these valuable tools to bring awareness to and advocate on
behalf of school health centers during meetings with legislators,
funders, sponsoring agencies and other venues that would benefit from
learning more about the school health center statewide landscape. You
can access the School Health Center Report Cards
here. You may also access them from
the links below:
