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State Children’s Health Insurance Program

Phase 1 Effective Date: April 1, 1998

Revised: 1/26/98, 2/19/98, 3/3/98, 3/6/98 Phase 2 Effective Date: July 1, 1998

Revised: 8/20/98, 8/24/98, 10/1/99, 7/28/00, 1/31/01, 7/02/02, 7/22/02, 1/3/03, 2/13/04, 9/27/04, 11/15/04, 8/11/05, 10/1/06, 7/1/09, 7/1/10, 7/1/11, 7/1/12 37 Target Populations The Department of Health’s Comprehensive and Full Service School Health Services Programs target 669,164 low-income, high-risk children in Kindergarten through 12th grade. In some of the schools with comprehensive or full service school programs, more than 70 percent of the students are on free or reduced lunch. Many of these students do not have health insurance.

Geographic Scope In the most current year (2010) for which data is available, the Department of Health’s Comprehensive School Health Services Program was available in 504 selected schools in 46 of the state’s 67 counties. Full Service School Health Services were available in 413 schools spread across 66 counties.

Services Provided During the school year, children spend many of their waking hours at school. Without comprehensive and full school health services, students with minor injuries, acute illness, chronic conditions, social and emotional issues may not be able to attend school. In the most current year (2010) for which data is available, , there were an estimated 14.2 million visits to school clinics across the state (estimated from clinic counts documented during February full-time equivalent (FTE) week) and more than 2.1 million doses of medication administered to school students. The school health nurse supports each student by implementing several strategies that promote student health and safety. Some of these strategies include:

• Providing direct health services and conducting screening, referral and clinical follow-up of suspected problems, including surveillance of high-risk behavioral health patterns, immunization status, diseases, and home and school safety practices; • Medical supervision and coordination for pregnant and parenting students to assure that students have access and utilize needed services, home visits, helping students and families find willing and affordable providers, assisting with transportation to health care or in applying for children’s health insurance programs such as Florida KidCare; • Treating students for minor emergencies and acute illnesses; • Provision of clinical intervention services, which includes school clinic care , nursing assessments, social interventions and services, and home visits; • Providing health education within the school to reduce high-risk behaviors such as premature and unprotected sexual activity, smoking and other drug use,