Cenpatico Continues Support for School-Based Health Centers

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cenpatico applauded the announcement Thursday of $14 million in Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grants awarded to 45 school-based health centers across the country. 

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Cenpatico has worked with Managed Health Services (MHS) in Indiana, since 2007, to support its SBHC Project. Through the SBHC Project, we work closely with MHS, community health centers, community mental health centers, and school districts to promote SBHCs in Indiana. The SBHC Project is part of the services provided under the Hoosier Healthwise State/Managed Care Entity (MCE) contract.  Cenpatico and MHS "plan for, develop and/or enhance relationships with school-based health centers (SBHCs) with the goal of providing accessible quality preventative and primary health care services to school-aged children in Indiana."

In Lake County, Cenpatico and MHS have worked with Gary Community Health Center (FQHC), Regional Mental Health Center (CMHC) and Lake Ridge Schools since 2008 to provide behavioral health services within the school system. Recent analysis indicates that utilization of the clinic's services by students is trending downward, possibly due to improved health across the student population but further analysis is necessary to confirm.  Additionally, healthcare services are available at the Lake Ridge SBHC to the community at large, adding overall access. 

Cenpatico and MHS have also worked with Madison County Community Health Center (MCCHC) and Alexandria School Corporation on an initiative to develop a SBHC at a middle school in that district. That effort was facilitated by a $25,000 planning grant from Centene Foundation to support the SBHC initiative. Cenpatico and MHS are Centene subsidiaries.  "While school budget cuts resulted in the project being delayed, we continue to work with these partners on ways to bring a SBHC and behavioral health services to their students," according to Mark Fisher, Cenpatico's School-Based Services Administrator.

Cenpatico and MHS have taken a national stance on supporting school-based health care services, by becoming organizational members of the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care (NASBHC).  This organization promotes and supports school-based health centers (SBHCs) to assure that all children and adolescents receive high quality, comprehensive primary and preventive health care services.  School-based health centers can greatly enhance access to health care and create educational success for school-aged children and youth. 

About Cenpatico-

Cenpatico's expertise lies in managing benefits for vulnerable populations. Our healthcare specialties include behavioral health, school-based services, specialty therapy and rehabilitation, community reentry and more. We have managed Medicaid and other public sector benefits since 1994; currently, we serve more than 1.4 million members across nine states. Our headquarters are in Austin, Texas and we have local teams across the country in the markets we serve. We are committed to innovative solutions and designing programs tailored to improving functional outcomes with our members. Find us online:  www.cenpatico.com  

SOURCE Cenpatico