On July 14, school-based health center (SBHC) programs managed by Baltimore County Health Department, Choptank Community Health System, Dorchester County Health Department, and Montgomery County were awarded $934,435 in federal grant funds to boost their efforts. From a Department of Health and Mental Hygeine Press Release:
The grants were made through a $95 million program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which awarded federal grants to 278 SBHC programs across the country. The funds support expanded capacity of SBHCs and are available for construction, renovation, and equipment needs.
Maryland’s 68 SBHCs provide comprehensive annual and sports physicals, immunizations, treatment of acute illnesses, chronic disease management, behavioral health, oral health, nutrition and health counseling. Parents/guardians enroll their students in the SBHC programs. In school year 2009-2010, Maryland’s SBHCs had 80,595 health visits serving 15,717 students.
Maryland’s SBHCs are funded by a variety of sources, which demonstrates the collaborative endorsement these centers receive. In FY 2011, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) distributed over $2.7 million in grant support to SBHCs.
Other sources of funding include federal, local health departments and education agencies, private health care organizations, as well as in-kind contributions from local school systems and health departments.
