Federal Support for School Health

by jglear

06/01/2011 1:29 PM

Earlier this month, the Obama Administration released final spending plans for FY 2011 (October 1, 2010 – September30, 2011). This document implements the 2011 budget agreement reached by Congress and the Administration in April. The projected HHS numbers for FY2011 (October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011) offers good news and bad. The good news, found under the heading Primary care, page 1, is that the $50 million originally planned for school-based health center facility construction and equipment has been retained in the budget.  The bad news, found under CDC, page 5, indicates that earlier concerns about the impact of changes to the Division of Adolescent and School Health were well placed. A national study entitled Healthy Passages that had been funded by CDC/DASH to develop effective policies and programs to improve the health and development of children, adolescents, and adults appears to be eliminated. School-based HIV programs also appear zeroed out. While other school health-related programs, such as the YRBSS will likely continue, they are not identified as such in this document. 

However, on the more-good-news front: On May 31st, the federal Bureau of Maternal and Child Health has announced a new School-Based Comprehensive Oral Health Services Grant Program to support a multi-site grant initiative in existing school-based health centers.  Grant applications will be due July 15, 2011.

The take-away from the good news/bad news on school health from the federal government: Reading the small print and reviewing the budget documents carefully is mandatory!