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Sentara Health Plans expands Public School Liaison program across Virginia
Expansion comes after year-long pilot succeeded in improving access to care and outcomes for kids
A successful year-long pilot in eastern Virginia has led Sentara Health Plans to expand its Public School Liaison program into all eight public school regions across the Commonwealth.
Sentara’s Behavioral Health department will assign two liaisons to each region. Their job is to learn the healthcare needs of students, identify unmet needs, educate school staff, nurses, and counselors about available resources, and help bridge gaps in care and assist with access.
The goal is to connect students with the preventive care and interventions they need, including expanding access to immunizations and behavioral health services, through in-person and remote care with providers, and the use of digital tools designed to help students with feelings of isolation, anxiety, stress and depression in a safe, private environment.
This array of tools includes the BeMe™ app, Virginia’s Youth2Adult (Y2A) program, and a Bridging Apps® menu for students with physical and developmental disabilities.
“Our pilot showed us a liaison program can make a real difference for students and families,” said Shawn Roberts, senior director of behavioral health. “Every community is different, and knowing all the programs and services available is difficult. When our liaisons help students connect with the right resources, it opens the door to better outcomes.”
The Liaison program has a goal to reduce emergency department visits and hospitalizations for behavioral health issues and reduce absenteeism through preventive care, immunizations, and well-child visits with a provider. For instance, the pilot program in Hampton Roads saw an increase in recommended Combo 3 vaccinations for eligible school children from 56.3% to almost 64%.
“Students face a variety of hurdles to their well-being,” said Chris Middleton, executive director of elementary academies in Virginia Beach. “Some are short term and some are chronic. Moving between programs and sites of care can be a challenge. Sentara Health Plans assures us their liaisons are there to help students and their families access and navigate the full spectrum of resources in the communities they serve.”
Sentara expects to have two experts assigned to each region by the end of April.
About Sentara Health Plans
Sentara Health Plans is the insurance division of Sentara Health, a Virginia-based not-for-profit integrated delivery system with 12 hospitals, more than 1,600 providers in Sentara Medical Group, more than 400 ambulatory sites of care, and 34,000 employees on a mission to improve health every day.
Sentara’s Behavioral Health department will assign two liaisons to each region. Their job is to learn the healthcare needs of students, identify unmet needs, educate school staff, nurses, and counselors about available resources, and help bridge gaps in care and assist with access.
The goal is to connect students with the preventive care and interventions they need, including expanding access to immunizations and behavioral health services, through in-person and remote care with providers, and the use of digital tools designed to help students with feelings of isolation, anxiety, stress and depression in a safe, private environment.
This array of tools includes the BeMe™ app, Virginia’s Youth2Adult (Y2A) program, and a Bridging Apps® menu for students with physical and developmental disabilities.
“Our pilot showed us a liaison program can make a real difference for students and families,” said Shawn Roberts, senior director of behavioral health. “Every community is different, and knowing all the programs and services available is difficult. When our liaisons help students connect with the right resources, it opens the door to better outcomes.”
The Liaison program has a goal to reduce emergency department visits and hospitalizations for behavioral health issues and reduce absenteeism through preventive care, immunizations, and well-child visits with a provider. For instance, the pilot program in Hampton Roads saw an increase in recommended Combo 3 vaccinations for eligible school children from 56.3% to almost 64%.
“Students face a variety of hurdles to their well-being,” said Chris Middleton, executive director of elementary academies in Virginia Beach. “Some are short term and some are chronic. Moving between programs and sites of care can be a challenge. Sentara Health Plans assures us their liaisons are there to help students and their families access and navigate the full spectrum of resources in the communities they serve.”
Sentara expects to have two experts assigned to each region by the end of April.
About Sentara Health Plans
Sentara Health Plans is the insurance division of Sentara Health, a Virginia-based not-for-profit integrated delivery system with 12 hospitals, more than 1,600 providers in Sentara Medical Group, more than 400 ambulatory sites of care, and 34,000 employees on a mission to improve health every day.
By: Dale Gauding