Technical Assistance FAQs
Brochure
A simple one-page of what Technical Assistance & Training resources NASBHC can offer you.
Census 2007-2008
For general information on school-based health centers (SBHCs) including financing of SBHCs, services offered, and a map of where they are located please view our latest National Census.
Contacting SBHCs
Q: Does NASBHC give out SBHC contact information or list of schools with a SBHC?
A: No. Please reference our National Census data and contact your State Organization.
Convention
Q: How do I submit an abstract for NASBHC’s Annual Convention?
A: NASBHC will announce its call for abstracts. Go to www.nasbhc.org/convention during this time and click on ‘Submit Abstract.’
You will need to have a NASBHC ID number to continue. If you don’t have one or forgot what yours is, please contact us at 202-638-5872 or email info@nasbhc.org
Q: Does NASBHC ever hold its convention in Washington, DC?
A: Yes, our annual convention is held in Washington, DC every three years.
Evaluation and Quality
Q: How cost effective are SBHCs?
A: They save money by administering preventive services, keeping children out of the ER, and keeping parents at work. Studies have also shown that SBHC users have a reduction in Medicaid cost.
See our Cost Savings Fact sheet for references.
Q: How can I evaluate the cost effectiveness of my SBHC?
A: Try using NASBHC’s tools: Cost Survey and the SBHC Report Card
Federal Grant information
Q: Where can I find information on federal grants?
A: Go to www.grants.gov , click on 'Email alerts.' Set up subscription to receive updates from federal government for grants you might be able to apply for.
Q: When will HRSA release the next CFP for the School-Based Health Center Capital (SBHCC) grant program?
A: They are expected to be released sometime in early 2012.
Mental Health
Q: Where do I find information about mental health services in SBHCs?
A: Refer to fact sheet “SBHCs: On the Front Line for Mental Health”.
Q: Where do I find general information on mental health?
A: General information about school mental health can be found in the mental health section of the website.
Q: What are the benefits of providing mental health services in SBHCs?
A: Offering mental health services on site increases access, improves efficiency, and is more effective than providing services in a community setting. Read more about these benefits.
NASBHC Tools
Q: I need help with quality improvement or evaluation. What are the tools NASBHC offers?
A: Most are free and available under SBHC Operations or Quality Improvement.
SBHC Operations
SBHC sustainability
Q: Are there productivity standards for SBHCs?
A: No, there are no official productivity standards for SBHCs.
Q: How many visits do SBHCs see in a day?
A: It depends on the amount of ancillary support the primary care provider has among other factors.
Q: How do SBHCs maintain sustainability/I need help with sustainability of my SBHC
A: SBHC sustainability is dependent on a number of factors including, but not limited to the following:
- Reasonable operating cost
- State reimbursement policies
- Administrative and billing support from sponsoring organization
- Practice Management
- The size of the population served
- School schedule, i.e., school hours, vacations , weather closings, testing days, fire drills
If you would like more assistance with this, please contact John Schlitt (jschlitt@nasbhc.org).
HIT & EHR
Q: The Affordable Care Act is requiring health systems to utilize health information technology (HIT) by upgrading to EHRs, does this apply to SBHCs?
A: Yes, SBHCs will be required to incorporate HIT into their centers by using EHR systems.
Article: “School-Based Health Centers: Adapting to Healthcare Reform and the Utilization of Health Information Technology” by Denise Holmes
Webinar: Meaningful Use & Medicaid EHR Incentive Program
SBHC Staff
Q: How many of SBHCs are staffed by a primary care provider?
A: 100 percent
Q: How many SBHCs have a mental health provider on staff?
A: According to the NASBHC 2007-2008 census, nearly 75% of SBHCs had a mental health provider on staff.
Q: Who staffs SBHCs?
A: Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physicians, mental health providers (social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists), health educators, nutritionists, ancillary support (RNs, nurse’s aides, medical technicians), and dentists.
Medical Providers & SBHCs
Q: How do school nurses interact and work with SBHCs?
A: School nurses and SBHCs work very well together. SBHCs need school nurses to triage patients and treat acute illness and accidents.
See our School Nurses and SBHCs Fact Sheet.
Q: Are medical visits to community medical providers decreased when students start accessing a SBHC?
A: There hasn’t been a whole lot of data captured on this topic. Of the ones that have been done, they have been able to show that the services offered in SBHCs are complimentary to physician’s offices rather than competitive. It appears that the population that receives care from SBHCs may require multiple access points for care as they have different and varied health needs that a regular primary care doc can’t treat by themselves, e.g. substance abuse and mental health problems.
Articles: Juszczak L, Melinkovich P, Kaplan D. Use of health and mental health services by adolescents across multiple delivery sites. J Adol Health 2003;32S:108-118.
Kaplan DW, Calonge BN, Guernsey BP, Hanrahan, MB. Managed care and SBHCs. Use of health services. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1998 Jan;152(1):25-33.
See our Benefits of SBHCs Fact Sheet for additional references.
FQHCS and SBHCs
Q: Can a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) or Community Health Center (CHC) be a sponsor of a SBHC?
A: Yes. According to the 2007-2008 Census 22.5% of SBHCs are sponsored by FQHC/CHCs.
SBHC Model
Q: What types of schools are SBHCs located in?
A: SBHCs are found predominantly in standard public schools (63%), but they are also located in other schools such as Title I (27%), alternative (6%), and charter (2%) among others.
For more information on SBHC models, such as where they are located, please review our latest National SBHC Census.
Q: Can you refer me to a model SBHC?
A: It is difficult to refer people to a “model” SBHC. What makes SBHCs great is that they are community developed and tailored to what each community wants and can afford. Therefore, there is no “model” SBHC.
Please contact your State Organization for assistance. If you don’t have a State Organization, please contact info@nasbhc.org.
Start-Up
Q: I am looking to start a SBHC/expand programs in my SBHC. Where can I go?
A: If you are a member of NASBHC, you can access the Road Map and the planning resources available there. Members can also request a copy of NASBHC’s “Nuts and Bolts of SBHCs” and “SBHCs 101” presentations by emailing info@nasbhc.org. If you would like more assistance or specialized consultation, visit our Professional Services webpage for more information.
Still have a question? Email info@nasbhc.org
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