Starting a SBHC in a CPS

Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers (ICSHC)


Starting a SBHC in a CPS

 

Establishing a school-based health center (SBHC) in your Chicago community requires commitment, time, resources, and collaboration between the school, community and provider of services.  The process of starting a SBHC is a multiphasic progression that includes a pre-planning, planning, and implementation stage. It is imperative that you establish contact with the appropriate resources in Chicago and Illinois in order to obtain the requisite information as you begin the journey of starting a SBHC. This document will provide you with recommendations to consider during each stage of your planning process along with the appropriate local, state and national resources. A checklist is listed below which provides recommended items for you to consider. The order of the items may vary with individual circumstances but your goal should be to check off each of the items as they relate to your planning process. You can click on each item for further explanation and resources. Good luck in your journey!


CHECKLIST

PRE-PLANNING STAGE

 

PLANNING STAGE

 

IMPLEMENTATION STAGE



EXPLANATION AND RESOURCES


PRE-PLANNING STAGE
□ Educate yourself about SBHCs

□ Form a community advisory committee

  • Members should include students, parents, staff, school administrators, community medical and behavioral health providers and other key stakeholders. A list of additional recommended members can be found in the Illinois Administrative Code for School Health Centers.
  • Committee will guide the planning and implementation processes
  • Meet monthly during the planning stages

□ Conduct a needs assessment of your school community

□ Identify the site

  • The school should be selected based on the results of the community needs assessment and stakeholder interest
  • The principal is engaged at the beginning of the process.
  • It is critical to have an identified individual at the school to be the contact person for the project.  Ask the principal to serve as the contact or to designate a contact person.

□ Identify a medical provider who will be the lead agency

  • Medical partners can be a local hospital, university or federally qualified health center
  • If behavioral health services will not be provided by the medical partner, engage a community behavioral health provider
  • The medical provider and/or behavioral health provider should meet directly with principal and principal’s designee for the project
  • The lead agency must be a medical provider but social service agencies can be a secondary provider

□ Engage Chicago Public Schools (CPS)

  • Contact Office of Special Education and Support Services (OSES) to begin discussion about your planning process
  • OSES will engage the Facility Operations  and Maintenance and Legal Departments of CPS
  • Begin obtaining materials to establish a site license agreement.

□ Engage the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) School Health Consultant

  • IDHS is responsible for certifying health centers and insuring quality assurance.
  • IDHS is also the main funder of SBHCs in Illinois and certification is a requirement to receive funding. Although new funding has been limited over the past several years, it is important to begin the certification process as it is a requirement for Chicago Public Schools and will position your SBHC in the event new funds become available.
  • Chicago Public Schools requires a site license agreement with the medical provider and certification by IDHS is required for the site license agreement.
  • Refer to the state standards for SBHC requirements http://ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/077/07702200sections.html

 

PLANNING STAGE

 □ Build collaboration and buy-in

  • Conduct  the community advisory committee on a monthly basis and expand membership to include new stakeholders

□ Develop operational model

  • Work with your medical (and behavioral health) provider and community advisory board to identify the model of SBHC that will best meet the needs of the school and/or community.
  • Medical services, including acute care, risk assessment, preventative services, and health education, must be provided on site. 
  • It is strongly recommended that behavioral health services be provided on site; however, referral to a community provider may be permissible in some circumstances. 
  • Dental and case management services may be on site or by referral.  Refer to the Illinois Administrative Code for a detailed description of required services http://ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/077/07702200sections.html
  • Look to local, state and national resources to help guide the decision.

□ Secure funding and plan for build out

  • Start-up costs of a SBHC are typically ~$500,000. Operating budgets typically range from $200,000-$400,000
  • Possible funding sources can include local, state and national, see SBHC Financing, Alameda County School Health Services Coalition.
  • Evidence of funding must be presented to Chicago Public Schools Office of Special Education and Support Services prior to initiation of build out
  • After funding is secured the process of building out the space typically takes about a year

□ Work with Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to insure that standards will be met

  • Requirements include but are not limited to: 24 hour access to medical services, on site healthcare professional during school hours, use of a risk assessment tool with all patients.
  • Refer to the state standards for SBHC requirements
  • A walk-through will be required prior to seeing students

□ Work with Chicago Public Schools to develop a site license agreement

 

IMPLEMENTATION STAGE
□ Finalize the operational model

□ Build collaboration and buy-in

□ Finalize site license agreement with Chicago Public Schools

□ Build out facility

  • Work with Office of Special Education and Support Services and school personnel to arrange for build out
  • Schedule an environmental assessment for any renovation, construction or infrastructure upgrade
  • Submit checklist and supporting materials to Operations Department
  • Provider can use their own contractors but the processes must be supervised by Chicago Public Schools Facilities Department
  • Progress meetings will be held with school staff, provider staff and Office of Special Education and Support Services during the build out stage to ensure project is staying on schedule.
  • Most build outs happen during the summer months so as to prevent disruption to educational time

□ Recruit and hire staff

  • Work with sponsoring agency to recruit and hire staff.
  • Recommended staffing levels are directly linked to the model of service but typically include a manager, medical director, advanced practice nurse or physician assistant and front desk staff.

□ Submit CPS Vendor Application

  • Download Vendor Application Form http://www.csc.cps.k12.il.us/purchasing/index.php@tab=1&id=44.htm
    • Review the FAQ to facilitate completion
    • Complete form
    • Gather supporting documentation
      • Fingerprint Check
      • Documentation of Tuberculosis Status.
    • Submit form to Sarah Leavy in Procurement at sleavy@cps.k12.il.us.
  • To confirm the status of your application for a vendor number with the Department of Procurement and Contracts you will need to contact Sarah Leavy  directly at 773‐553‐2270 or sleavy@cps.k12.il.us

□ Develop policy and procedure manual

  • A policy and procedure manual is necessary to insure that your SBHC is providing quality services and meeting the minimum expectation of the state standards.
  • A sample policy and procedure manual will be available soon on the Illinois Coalition of School Health Centers website at http://www.ilmaternal.org/icshc/ and is a starting point for your staff to engage in discussion to develop your own manual in collaboration with your sponsoring agency.

□ Schedule Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) walk through

  • Continue to work with IDHS to insure standards will be met

□ Apply to the Illinois Medical Assistance Program

  • Review the Policy and Procedures for School-Based/Linked Health Centers, see Handbook For Providers of School Based/Linked Health Center Services, Chapter S-200 Policy And Procedures for School Based/Linked Health Centers, Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, http://www.hfs.illinois.gov/assets/s200.pdf
  • Complete the enrollment form for the Illinois Medical Assistance Program, see http://www.hfs.illinois.gov/assets/hfs2243.pdf 

□  Develop plan for evaluation of services

  • An evaluation plan is necessary to insure that quality services are being provided and that the needs of your population are being met.
  • Contact Illinois Department of Human Services to become familiar with the data collection, reporting and quality improvement requirements.
  • Illinois Department of Human Services and Illinois Coalition of School Health Centers are currently in the pilot phase of an evaluation framework for SBHCs which will eventually be a state-wide evaluation of SBHCs.