Increase Access to School-Based Health Care

For purposes of the school-based health center grant program (grant program), the bill expands the definition of a school-based health center and the purposes of the grant program to authorize grants for evidence-informed, school-linked health-care services. Services may include primary health-care, behavioral health-care, oral health-care, and preventive health-care services.

School-linked health-care services may be delivered through telehealth, mobile services, and referrals for health-care services at a clinic near school grounds.

Subject to available appropriations, the bill authorizes grant money to be directed to evidence-informed, school-linked models to expand access to school-based health care, unless the prevention services division in the department of public health and environment determines that adequate proposals have not been submitted for the grant cycle.

The bill also requires the department of health care policy and financing to create a service-location identifier for claims for services provided at school-based health centers or through school-linked health-care services.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)