School-based clinics are considered one of the most effective strategies for delivering high quality, comprehensive, and culturally-competent primary and preventive care to children and teens.”

The study was done in Denver, CO – ‘using administrative databases maintained by Denver Health (DH) and Denver Public Schools (DPS)’.  Denver Health is Denver’s primary “safety-net” institution caring for many of the city’s uninsured.  Similar to us here at HealthNet, Denver Health is composed of 11 school-based health centers (SBHCs), 9 community health centers, 2 urgent care centers, and a tertiary care hospital with an emergency department.  HealthNet operates 6 community health centers, 3 specialty care centers, and offers school-based services in 8 schools.

The most interesting fact about the study is that the comparison was between students who use SBHCs and students who use community health centers and NOT a school-based health center.

The findings were clear!

School-based users were less likely to be insured, either by Medicaid or another form of insurance; however, they were more likely to have made greater than 3 primary care visits and half as likely to use emergency care for health maintenance.

The results show the importance of having a health center present in schools.  School-based health centers help boost access to quality care for underserved and uninsured students.

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What do you think about the having access to primary care within schools?
Would it benefit students even if they are NOT in underserved areas?
Leave you comments below!

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To read the full research study click here – the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Budget talks for Fiscal Year 2012 are on the table in the U.S. House of Representatives, and yes once again, we need to remind our legislators just how important community health centers are — not only to saving the health care system money but also to saving patients’ (constituents’) lives.

It seems like we just finished fighting the proposed $1 billion cut for FY2011, which ended up being reduced to a $600 million cut thanks to our efforts as a grassroots advocacy team!  We all give a care about what goes on within our health center walls. And, we all give a care about expanding the square footage between those walls to help serve MORE of the underserved.

In Indianapolis, HealthNet’s service area consists of 59 census tracts:

• 48 of which are medically underserved areas
• 30 are health professional shortage areas
• And 26 are dental health professional shortage areas.

Also within this service area, over 45% of residents are living at or below 200% of poverty level, another barrier on top of the lack of access to care.  (For more facts, figures, and maps click here)

After a short power nap for our grassroots advocacy, it is time to grab that Red Bull, Monster, or your favorite energy drink because we need to get going on pushing for an increase in funding for Fiscal Year 2012!!

Following the National Association of Community Health Centers’ lead, ask your Representative to submit a programmatic request by May 20^th increasing the Health Center Program’s funding by $200 million.  A total of $1.79 billion of discretionary spending for the Health Centers Program “is necessary to allow Health Centers to meet the existing and persistent need of Americans seeking primary and preventive care services.”

HealthNet has been able to expand services at our Southwest Health & Dental Center, People’s Health & Dental Center and soon-to-be expanded Barrington Health & Dental Center, which is currently under construction.  We have submitted a New Access Point proposal, and with an increase in programmatic funding, it will strengthen our chances of serving MORE of those people who need it within our service area.

Learn how you can give a care.  Learn how to contact your Representative today!  All Indianapolis residents will benefit.

In Indiana, two new health centers will close and more than 85,500 patients will lose access to care. Nationally, health centers will lose the capacity to serve 11 million patients and 127 health centers across the country will have to close their doors. (this according to IPHCA and NACHC)

This is what could happen if Congress approves a $1.3 billion spending cut to the Community Health Centers Program, in its effort to finalize a national budget for FY2011.  Without community health centers like HealthNet, few options remain, forcing patients to use local emergency rooms for primary care. Not only is ER care expensive, but it also leaves the patient without a medical home for ongoing care.

Funding cuts to Health Centers represent:

• Greater cost to taxpayers and insured patients
  • $1.67 per patient per day at a FQHC; $2.64 average at all physician offices
• Less patients receiving preventative care
  • Requiring more frequent trips to the ER
• Up to $122 billion of health care costs to the American people
  • Taxpayers get a significant return on that investment with FQHCs
• Hospitals have to waste time on primary care
  • Rather than saving lives of the seriously ill and injured

For the uninsured – whose ranks include the poor and the well-off, the employed and the jobless – the issue is more than just a political debate. It is very personal.

Where do I go for care for my family?

The numbers of people who need health care has not decreased, and in denying them access to affordable care, we confront a crisis that poses an even greater risk to our nation’s health — higher rates of chronic disease, higher health-care costs, more needless illness and deaths.

If you give a care about keeping Indianapolis a healthy place to live, take five minutes TODAY to help our city:

1.  Sign up to be a health care advocate.

2. Call or email your Representatives to support all community health centers in Indiana by maintaining level funding for the Health Centers Program for fiscal 2011.

On behalf of the 50,000 patients we serve, thank you for making a difference!