Minnesota School-Based Health Alliance

WHEN WE SUPPORT CHILDREN'S HEALTH, WE SUPPORT LEARNING. WHEN WE SUPPORT LEARNING, WE SUPPORT COMMUNITIES. THE ALLIANCE'S PRIORITY IS TO ENSURE BEST PRACTICES IN SCHOOL BASED CARE, ADDRESS SUSTAINABILITY AND EQUITY OF CARE DELIVERED IN RURAL COUNTIES AND HEALTH CARE DESERTS IN MINNESOTA. SCHOOL-BASED CARE IS SPECIALTY CARE, AND WE ARE HERE TO HELP SCHOOLS DEFINE THEIR NEEDS AND WORK WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO HELP FULFILL THOSE NEEDS BEYOND WHAT A SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN DO ON THEIR OWN. ROOTED IN STRONG CONNECTIONS, THE ALLIANCE MAINTAINS INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE STATEWIDE IMPACT AND LOCAL INFLUENCE. THE ALLIANCE WORKS WITHIN COMMUNITIES TO HELP IDENTIFY GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL HEALTH INITIATIVES THAT FOSTER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND COMMUNITY VITALITY.

IN THE YEAR 2023, MNSHBA CONTINUES THE WORK AS THE STATEWIDE CAPACITY-BUILDING ORGANIZATION FOR SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS IN MN. AS A GRANTEE OF THE MN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (MDH) WITH AN EXPERTISE IN IMPLEMENTATION, PLANNING AND IMPROVEMENT, MNSBHA PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SEVEN ESTABLISHED NETWORKS OF SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTERS (SBHC), AND 17 EMERGING INITIATIVES ACROSS THE STATE. THE FIRST YEAR IN OPERATION, THE ALLIANCE DEVELOPED A READINESS ASSESSMENT FOR SBHC START-UP, SURVEYED THE SBHC WORKFORCE ON AREAS THEY NEEDED SUPPORT, ESTABLISHED AN ELECTRONIC "BASECAMP" FOR SHARED MATERIALS, DEVELOPED A PLAN FOR UNIFORM DATA COLLECTION ACROSS SBHCS, PARTICIPATED IN STATEWIDE CONVERSATIONS ON THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS, AND RAN A LUNCH AND LEARN SERIES FOR THE SCHOOL-BASED HEALTHCARE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE. THESE ACTIVITIES CONTINUE IN 2023 WITH CONSTANT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING DEVELOPING A YOUTH COUNCIL AND EXPANDED TOOLS FOR BUILDING SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL-BASED PRACTICES. THE ALLIANCE ALSO WORKED WITH MDH ON OUTREACH TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH SIGNIFICANT VULNERABILITIES WITHIN THE STUDENT POPULATION AND DISPARITIES BETWEEN STUDENT OUTCOMES BY RACE AND INCOME. AFTER A STEADY, 50-YEAR GROWTH RATE OF 2%, SBHC INITIATIVES ARE GROWING AT A RATE OF 55.5% WITH A FOCUS ON ADVANCING RURAL PROGRAMS. YEARLY OUTCOMES ALSO INCLUDED DIVERSIFYING THE NON-PROFIT BOARD TO BETTER REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY SERVED, AN OUTREACH AND EDUCATION EVENT, DEVELOPMENT OF AN EVALUATION AND DATE COLLECTION PLAN AND GUIDANCE ON CONTENTIOUS CONCERNS REGARDING ADOLESCENT CARE. MNSBHA ALSO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS WITH ALIGNED MISSIONS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO STATE OFFICES, CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, HEALTH PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS AND LAWMAKERS. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED OVER TEN NATIONAL AND LOCAL PRESENTATIONS ON THE TOPIC OF HEALTH AND EDUCATION EQUITY.