School-based outreach initiatives: Part III Outreach approach

Healthy children learn better. A better education leads to a more successful life an enhanced society. Using the Healthy Children, Healthy Communities model develops a school-based approach to meet the health insurance and access needs of children.

Ensure Kids' Health; a 1999 initiative announced by then president, Bill Clinton, to identify and enroll children into state funded health insurance through an effort between educational entities and departments of health. Schools are still recognized as the number one body to enrolling children. Schools are a safe, trusted, and a known entity to most children and parents. Many things prevent children from going to school and getting an education. Health should not be one of them.

All school professionals have a stake in and are involved with children's healthcare during the school day. They have an investment in healthy children, as they are more likely to benefit from an education. However, school staff concentrate on the education process. School-based health services on the other hand are natural conduits and collaborators with school, government agencies and families. School nurses, school-based clinic personnel and social workers are the link to healthcare for many children who do not have health insurance. They are a likely entry for outreach programs private and governmental, in partnering with schools. Insurance and school-based Outreach staff are the experts in eligibility and enrollment activities and work directly in and with school staff to identify, screen, and enroll children into health insurance programs, thus eliminating a huge challenge to accessing programs.