Chicago Student Health

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) serves more than 340,000 students (2020-21 school year). The majority of students are children of color (Black: 35.8 percent; Latinx: 46.7 percent), and nearly two-thirds of students are considered economically disadvantaged.

More than 40 percent of students are obese or overweight, and 25 percent have a chronic condition such as diabetes or asthma. Their current health status, along with limitations on accessing healthcare, means schools are the main healthcare provider for many of these students. In addition, schools are managing COVID testing as well as dealing with the trauma students are experiencing due to the pandemic.

Even before COVID, episodes of depression and worsening behavioral health were on the rise; the number of mood and depressive disorder hospitalizations for youth and teens has been increasing over the past two decades. The situation has only become worse during the pandemic. A survey of Chicago parents between November 2020 and February 2021 found that nearly half had talked with their child’s primary care doctor about mental or behavioral health concerns within the last year.

All of this makes a strong school health system imperative.

In 2017, Healthy Schools Campaign and Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago conducted an analysis to identify existing models of school health service delivery in Chicago, further understand the infrastructure that supports school health, and identify gaps, challenges and opportunities for enhancement.

Despite studies confirming that comprehensive mental and physical health services are an essential component of student success, CPS does not have enough school-based nurses, counselors, social workers or health partnerships to meet student needs.

Access to care also is hindered by a fragmented service delivery system; poor communication among providers, schools and families; and inequitable distribution of services. These operational and infrastructure barriers further increase health disparities, leaving students more vulnerable to both acute and chronic health problems.

While the problem of healthcare access is not new, COVID-19 and its impact on schools creates a heightened urgency for better collaboration and investment. These issues inform both School Health Access Collaborative discussions and the projects that some members independently pursue.

Current Projects

School Health Access Collaborative (SHAC) discussions have facilitated action around a number of important system-level changes. Two of these current efforts are described below.

Projects are developed independently of SHAC governance and oversight. All participants are encouraged to generate new ideas and work on their own or in collaboration with other SHAC members.

Building a Student Health Data Network

Better data sharing between Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and providers is necessary to understand the health needs of students, identify gaps in service and coordinate care.

Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago (PHIMC) are working together, along with other School Health Access Collaborative (SHAC) members, to develop a comprehensive student health data network to increase data sharing across health and education sectors. PHIMC serves as the backbone organization and is staffing this project.

The student health data network will allow CPS, health providers, funders, advocates, policymakers and others to understand the health needs of students, the efficacy of services, and the impact on student health and education outcomes. Once completed, CPS and health providers will be in a better position to connect students to critical physical and behavioral health services — services that can improve students’ health and academic outcomes.

This process started with the development of a business plan combining community vision and experience with data-sharing best practices. Dozens of school health community members, representing 26 diverse organizations, are involved. The resulting plan recommended:

•  A collective impact model approach
•  The use of an innovative shared data platform
•  A pilot phase using aggregate data

In 2021, Polk Bros. Foundation funded a pilot project, with Asemio, a social impact technology company, as the lead technology partner. The data contributors include Alternatives, Inc., CPS, Heartland Health Centers, UCAN and Youth Guidance. As of early 2022, the pilot stage is underway and is expected to conclude in early 2023.

The results of this pilot will be used to develop a comprehensive health and education data network with necessary governance and operational structures. The overall goals are to connect students to health services and to influence equitable resource allocation, program planning, staff alignment and school health investment decisions.

Expanding School Health Services Via Medicaid

SHAC members also have championed the need for ongoing and sustainable funding for school-based healthcare. As a result, HSC has taken the lead in helping Illinois expand Medicaid-funded school health services.

In 2021, HSC supported Illinois in submitting a state plan amendment to allow Medicaid reimbursement for all school health services provided to all students enrolled in Medicaid, instead of limiting reimbursement to the services included in a student’s IEP. The amendment also increases the types of providers eligible for Medicaid reimbursement.

This increased federal funding creates an opportunity to funnel investments into:

•  Increasing access to and resources for behavioral and mental healthcare
•  Increasing the number of school nurses and other health providers
•  Partnerships between school districts and local partners and community-based organizations to build their capacity for health and SEL supports

For more information about this policy shift in Illinois, visit HSC’s section on Medicaid Expansion for School Health. Learn more about what’s happening at the national level at Healthy Students, Promising Futures, and sign up for HSC’s health policy newsletter for the latest updates.

SHAC Meetings

Due to COVID, School Health Access Collaborative (SHAC) meetings are virtual. If you or your organization is interested in participating in future meetings, please contact Meghana Menon, SHAC program manager.

2023 Upcoming Meetings

March 23, May 25, July 27 and Sept. 28

Past Meetings

Nov. 17, 2022
Speakers:
Supporting Mental Health in Chicago Public Schools (CPS)
• Lauren Pett, CPS Office of Student Health and Wellness
• Veronica Kalokhe, CPS Office of Social Emotional Learning
“Success Over Stress Violence Prevention Project” Presentation
• Sally Lemke, Rush University Medical Center
• Dr. LaVome Robinson, DePaul University

Sept. 22, 2022
Speakers:
Chicago Department of Public Health
•  Sarah Parchem, Program Director, Maternal, Infant, Child, and Adolescent Health (MICAH) Bureau
•  Allie Sontag, Program Director, CDC Foundation in Support of MICAH Bureau
Chicago Public Schools
•  Dr. Cynthia Treadwell, Executive Director & Adam King, Elementary School SEL Support Manager, Office of Social and Emotional Learning
•  Ken Papineau, Director, Office of Student Health and Wellness

July 28, 2022
Speakers:
Asemio
•  Aaron Bean, Managing Director
•  Tania Pryce, Delivery Lead
Alternatives, Inc.
•  Bria Brumfield, Behavioral Health Supervisor
Youth Guidance
•  Ryan Crosby, Sr. Director of Evaluation and Quality Improvement
UCAN
•  Jeff Blythe, VP of Behavioral Health Services

May 26, 2022
Speakers:
Chicago Department of Public Health
• Sarah Parchem, Program Director, Maternal, Infant, Child, and Adolescent Health (MICAH) Bureau
• Allie Sontag, NP, Program Director, CDC Foundation in Support of MICAH Bureau
Chicago Public Schools
• TaShunda Green-Shelton, Deputy Chief, Office of Student Health & Wellness (OSHW)
• Ken Papineau, Director, OSHW
• Kate Yager, Director of Medicaid, Office of Finance

March 17, 2022
Speakers:
Juvenile Protective Association
•  Karen Foley, President & CEO
Illinois Telehealth Initiative
•  Nancy Kaszak, Director
Rush University Medical Center
•  Brenda Huber, Executive Director (August 2019- March 2022)

Jan. 27, 2022
Speakers:
Rainbows for All Children
•  Laura Lindroth, Director of Programming and Community Engagement
Youth Guidance
•  Rebecca Langan, Director of External Affairs
•  Laurel Crown, Senior Research and Evaluation Manager
Chicago Department of Public Health
•  Dr. Michelle Funk, COVID Medical Director of Youth Settings

Nov. 18, 2021
Speakers:
Chicago Public Schools
•  Tarrah Declemente, Executive Director, Office of Student Health and Wellness (OSHW)
•  Rocio Rosales, Principal, Davis Elementary School
Partners in Health
•  Scott Thorpe, Senior Project Manager
4us Youth Development
•  Annette Kelly, CEO

Sept. 23, 2021
Speakers:
Chicago Public Schools
•  Ken Papineau, Director, Office of Student Health and Wellness
•  Kate Yager, Director of Medicaid, Office of Finance
•  Katie Manthei, Illinois AWARE Project Manager, Office of Social Emotional Learning
Chicago Department of Public Health
•  Sarah Parchem, Program Director, Bureau of Maternal, Infant, Child, and Adolescent Health
•  Amanda Walsh, Director, Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership

May 27, 2021
Speakers:
•  Colleen Cicchetti, Executive Director, Center for Childhood Resilience
•  Meyiya Coleman, Organizer, Voices of Youth in Chicago Education
•  Aida Palma, Organizer and Translator, COFI POWER-PAC IL
•  Marcel Smith, CPS Network Safety Manager, Whole School Safety Planning Committee
•  Maria Toribio, Co-President, Elementary Justice Campaign

March 25, 2021
Speakers:
•  Rochelle Davis, President and CEO, Healthy Schools Campaign
•  Dr. Ken Fox, Chief Health Officer, Chicago Public Schools Office of Student Health and Wellness
•  Dr. Efraín Martínez, Principal, Orozco Academy
•  Maricela Loredo, Manager of Marquette SBHC, Esperanza Health Centers

Managing Partners & Participants

Interested in joining the School Health Access Collaborative? Contact Meghana Menon, SHAC program manager, for more information.

Why participate in SHAC? Here’s what members say:

“Opportunity to learn about efforts across the health and behavioral health continuum”

“Better understanding of the relationship between CPS, CDPH and health providers and how they work together to provide health services within the schools”

“…[I]ncrease awareness and collaboration with key players including CPS representatives & funders”

“Updates from CDPH & CPS; networking and info sharing”

“The opportunity to actively engage with leaders from other school health centers”

Managing Partners

Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago (PHIMC) co-convene SHAC and provide strategic leadership. PHIMC also provides staffing.

SHAC Participants

SHAC participants include Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Department of Public Health, and healthcare providers and representatives from the following organizations, academic institutions and foundations:

Advocate Health Care
Alliance Chicago
Alternatives Youth, Inc.
Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
Chicago Community Oral Health Forum
Chicago Public Schools – OSEL/OSHW/Children’s First Fund
Children’s Home & Aid
Communities in Schools of Chicago
Erie Family Health Center
Esperanza Health Centers
EverThrive Illinois
Grant Healthcare Foundation
Healthy Schools Campaign
Heartland Health Centers
Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership
Illinois College of Optometry
Illinois Department of Public Health
Illinois Public Health Institute
Legal Council for Health Justice
Lurie Children’s Hospital
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
Michael Reese Health Trust
Mikva Challenge
Mobile Care Chicago
NAMI Chicago
National Health Corps
Norwegian Hospital
Peer Health Exchange
Polk Bros. Foundation
Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago
Respiratory Health Association
Rush University
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
Sinai Health System – Under the Rainbow
Siragusa Family Foundation
UCAN
UIC OCEAN Health Partnerships
University of Chicago Medical Center
University of Illinois at Chicago
VNA Foundation
Youth Guidance