EMORY Health Sciences News
EMORY Health Sciences Newshttp://emoryhealthsciences.org
August 11, 2011
Emory Department of Pediatrics Urban Health Program Announces 7 Additional Planning Grants for School Based Health Centers
Media contact: Juliette Merchant, juliette.merchant@emory.edu 404-778-1503 http://emoryhealthnews.org
ATLANTA— Georgia’s school based clinic services are receiving a much needed boost to increase access and care for children thanks to additional planning grants from the Emory Department of Pediatrics Urban Health Program.
Veda Johnson MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Emory School of Medicine and Director of the Pediatric Urban Health Program just announced funding for 7 additional planning grants throughout Georgia intended to stimulate development, collaboration and community discussion to expand the number of school-based health centers throughout the state. “By expanding school based clinic services, children in Georgia will benefit from improved access to primary health care, improved health outcomes, and improved school attendance. Additionally, the state will benefit from reduced cost to the Medicaid system through the reduction in inappropriate emergency room visits, hospitalizations for chronic illnesses.”
The grants are being funded by a $3 million gift from The Zeist Foundation aimed to help improve outcomes for at-risk children in metro Atlanta and throughout the state over the next five years. Eleven grants were awarded last August.
The 2009 Kids Count Data Book - a national study on the well-being of America's children ranked Georgia children 42nd in the nation for well being. More than 300,000 of the state’s children are uninsured with very limited access to routine healthcare. Of the 2000 school based health clinics in the nation, there are only 3 in Georgia compared to 245 in Florida. “While these sites increase access to healthcare for Georgia’s neediest children and adolescents through comprehensive school health services, they have also proven to be an important factor in improved academic achievement,” says Johnson.
The 7 new grantees represent collaborative partnerships between local school boards, the PTA, local Family Connections organizations, local institutions of higher education, private and public health insurers, local business and industry leaders, local government, and local hospitals and health providers. The grantees are: Butts County School system; First Choice Primary Care of Bibb County; Lamar County School System; Lowndes/Valdosta Commission for Children and Youth; Pike County You Equal Success Team; Rockdale Coalition for Children and Families; and Ware County Board of Education.
The National Assembly on School Based Health Care reports students perform better when they show up for class, healthy and ready to learn. School-based health centers (SBHCs) are located in schools or on school grounds and employ a multidisciplinary team of providers to care for the students. They also provide clinical services through a qualified health provider such as a hospital, health department, or medical practice.
School based health centers require parents to sign written consents for their children to receive the full scope of services provided at the SBHC.
The Emory Pediatric Urban Health Program will award additional $10, 000 planning grants next year. Successful proposals will demonstrate how grant recipients will bring potential partners together in meetings, focus groups and planning teams to develop strategies to improve the health of school students, their siblings, and the surrounding community through the development of comprehensive school based health services. Grants will be approved for a 12 month planning period and proposals should provide letters of support from potential planning partners. If you would like more information, visit our website at: www.pediatrics.emory.edu/centers/urbanhealth Or contact Ruth Ellis at 404 778-1402 email relli01@emory.edu
The Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center of Emory University is an academic health science and service center focused on missions of teaching, research, health care and public service. Its components include the Emory University School of Medicine, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, and Rollins School of Public Health; Yerkes National Primate Research Center; Emory Winship Cancer Institute; and Emory Healthcare, the largest, most comprehensive health system in Georgia. Emory Healthcare includes: The Emory Clinic, Emory-Children's Center, Emory University Hospital, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Wesley Woods Center, and Emory University Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital. The Woodruff Health Sciences Center has a $2.3 billion budget, 18,000 employees, 2,500 full-time and 1,500 affiliated faculty, 4,500 students and trainees, and a $5.7 billion economic impact on metro Atlanta.
Blog: http://emoryhealthblog.com
Twitter: @emoryhealthsci
Web: http://emoryhealthsciences.org