BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Alan Lowenthal, Chair
2011-2012 Regular Session
BILL NO: AJR 10
AUTHOR: Brownley
AMENDED: May 2, 2011
FISCAL COMM: No HEARING DATE: June 15, 2011
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Daniel Alvarez
SUBJECT : School -based health centers.
SUMMARY
This joint resolution memorializes the Legislature's
support of the school-based health center program
authorized by the federal Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act; supports an appropriation by the United States
Congress to fund the school-based health center program;
and, supports the inclusion of school-based health centers
in the reauthorization of the federal Elementary and
Secondary Education Act as an important strategy for
ensuring that pupils are physically and mentally healthy.
BACKGROUND
Current law:
1) Requires the Department of Public Health (DPH), in
cooperation with the California Department of
Education (CDE), to establish a Public School Health
Center Support Program (PSHCSP) to perform specified
functions relating to the establishment, retention, or
expansion of school health centers in California.
2) Defines, for purposes of the PSHCSP, a "school
health center" to mean a center or program that
provides age-appropriate health care services at the
program site or through referrals, and may be located
on or at a local educational agency.
ANALYSIS
This joint resolution :
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1) Resolves that the Legislature supports the
school-based health center program authorized by the
federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as
enacted by the United States Congress in 2010.
2) Resolves that the Legislature supports an
appropriation by the United States Congress to fund
the school-based health center program authorized by
the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act.
3) Resolves that the Legislature supports policies that
include school-based health centers as a partner in
creating a medical home for all children.
4) Resolves that the Legislature supports the inclusion
of school-based health centers in the reauthorization
of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act
as an important strategy for ensuring that pupils are
physically and mentally healthy and therefore ready to
learn.
5) Resolves that the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit
copies of this resolution to the President and Vice
President of the United States, to the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of
the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative
from California in the Congress of the United States.
6) Makes various findings and declarations, including but
not limited to:
a) School health centers, which operate in 176
schools across California, are an integral part
of the state's health care delivery system,
providing preventative and treatment services to
pupils who may otherwise have no or limited
access to health care.
b) School health centers improve academic
achievement by increasing the physical and mental
health status of pupils, thereby raising
attendance rates, reducing dropout rates, and
improving classroom attention and behavior.
c) There is still a high level of unmet need
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for school health centers because many California
children do not have access to high-quality,
affordable health care.
d) The Legislature has already demonstrated its
strong support for school health centers through
the passage of important pieces of state
legislation, including the Healthy Start Support
Services for Children Act and the Public School
Health Center Support Program.
e) The United States Congress authorized a
school-based health center program in the federal
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, but
did not appropriate money to fund it.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the joint resolution . According to the
author, a major development in education policy is
coming when Congress takes up reauthorization of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This
is a significant opportunity to advocate for the
inclusion of school health and support services.
Further, according to California School Health Centers
and Association, the sponsor of the resolution, more
than 1.5 million California students lack health
insurance, and 1 in 5 lack dental insurance -
unfortunately these students tend to be from
underrepresented and low-income families. School
health centers provide access and services for
students. Typically these services include:
screenings, immunizations, physicals, and assessments.
2) Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of
2010 . Made grant funds available that will support
school-based health center efforts to expand capacity
to provide primary healthcare services to school-aged
children. This competitive funding opportunity will be
available to new and existing school-based health
centers to address significant and pressing capital
improvement needs, including: construction, repair,
renovation, and the purchase of equipment.
Approximately $50 million is made available for
federal fiscal year 2011, which is anticipated to fund
approximately 350 2-year grant awards. This joint
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resolution seeks to urge Congress to include an
appropriation to fund school-based health centers in
the reauthorization of the federal Elementary and
Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
3) School based health centers . There are approximately
176 school health centers and are typically located on
school campuses. They encompass a variety of models -
from large secondary school clinics with full-time
medical and mental health staff to smaller part-time
clinics offering a limited set of services. "School
linked" health centers are located off campus but have
formal operating agreements with one or more schools.
Of the 176 school health centers - 27 percent are in
elementary schools, 10 percent are in middle schools,
38 percent are in high schools, 10 percent are on
mixed-grade campuses, and 15 percent are "school
linked" or mobile vans. The majority of communities
served are low-income areas where many children lack
health coverage.
SUPPORT
California Academy of Family Physicians
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
California School Boards Association
California School Health Centers Association
California School Nurses Association
OPPOSITION
California Right to Life, Inc.