MDHHS Grants $ 200,000 To Explore Child and Adolescent Health Centers (CAHC) In Alma And St. Louis Public Schools

This is the same (CAHCPP) program the Evart Public School BoE is considering and the Grant Public Schools BoE is terminating due to unwanted political content:

https://www.themorningsun.com/2023/06/22/grants-to-fund-youth-health-centers-at-alma-st-louis-and-shepherd/

Grants to fund youth health centers at Alma, St. Louis and Shepherd
June 22, 2023

MyMichigan Health Foundation received two Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) grants of $100,000 that support a planning period to explore Child and Adolescent Health Centers (CAHC) within Alma Public Schools and St. Louis Public Schools in Gratiot County.

The same planning grant was awarded to Community Mental Health for Central Michigan, supporting Shepherd Public School District with MyMichigan Health serving as the health care partner.

The planning grants provide an opportunity to create community partnerships and evaluate student medical and behavioral health needs. Through comprehensive collaboration with local Community Advisory Committees, the groups aim to select the most effective service model and location for the distinct student bodies in each district.

They will also form an implementation plan, which will bridge the planning phase to operational phase.

“We are delighted that, through this grant process, we now have enhanced opportunity to serve children side by side with our school systems,” said Marita Hattem-Schiffman, president, MyMichigan Medical Centers in Alma, Clare and Mt. Pleasant.

“We value our community partnerships and the inherent collaborations in the CAHCs align with our purpose of ‘Creating Healthy Communities – Together.’”

“Alma Public Schools is committed to advancing the health of our students through this exciting opportunity,” said Stacey Luberda-Criner, superintendent, Alma Public Schools.

”In order to best support students’ academic achievement, educators and clinicians can collaborate to address access to care issues, visits prior to medication refills, referrals to behavioral health resources or even routine vaccinations.”

While state funding for the CAHC program has been available since 1987, these MyMichigan partnerships are the first significant efforts to develop the CAHC models in Gratiot and Isabella Counties.

Under supervision of MDHHS and the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), the intended objective of this grant opportunity is “to provide a safe and caring place for children and adolescents to learn positive health behaviors, prevent diseases and receive needed medical care and support, resulting in healthy youth who are ready and able to learn and become educated, productive adults.”

“We know that our students are not able to learn unless their most basic needs are met, which includes medical attention,” said Jennifer McKittrick, superintendent, St. Louis Public Schools.

”By adding these resources, we focus on the whole needs of our students: academics, mental health, physical health and social-emotional health.”

“MyMichigan Health is a trusted health care provider in our community and this initiative calls for a strong partnership that can address physical and behavioral student health,” said Dr. Debra Miller, family services director, Community Mental Health for Central Michigan.

“We believe that together, we can address our students’ needs in the most efficient and beneficial way possible.”

Those interested in learning more about the Child & Adolescent Health Center Program may visit www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/adult-child-serv/childrenfamilies/familyhealth/cahc.

Those interested in services offered at Community Mental Health for Central Michigan may visitwww.cmhcm.org.

Parents or students interested in serving on a local Community Advisory Committee may reach out to school administration to learn more.

Will Family Health Care bid on these CAHCPP programs?  Alma and St. Louis are east of Grant and Evart, but not out of range:

https://mihealthfreedom.org/community/county-health-departments/evart-school-board-considers-family-health-care-adolescent-health-center-plans/#post-161

https://mihealthfreedom.org/community/county-health-departments/grant-school-board-of-education-cuts-ties-with-family-health-care/#post-160