(a) The Department of Health, in conjunction with the Department of Healthcare Finance, the District of Columbia Public Schools, the Department of General Services, and the Public Charter School Board, shall develop a plan to establish and operate school health centers in public schools and public charter schools on or before December 31, 2015.

(a) There is established the School Health Innovations Grant Program to expand access to comprehensive behavioral health care services by providing grants to health care providers that partner with District of Columbia public schools and public charter schools to give students, and the communities that surround the schools, opportunities to access behavioral health care services, including through the incorporation of remote computer access.

(b) The Department shall administer the Program and shall award innovation grants of up to $400,000 each, to up to 8 health care providers that participate in the Program.

(c) Each health care provider that participates in the Program shall partner with a D.C. School and establish a school-based health care clinic within the D.C. School that offers the following:

• (1) Screenings for behavioral health and social determinants of health needs;
• (2) Referrals to health care and social services providers;
• (3) Community health care navigation services; and
• (4) On-demand access to health care provider services via real time computer access.

(d) The school-based clinic shall coordinate student care with the students' parents and the students' primary care providers regarding follow-up care, including care plans and plans for continued care made by the participating health care provider and for in-person appointments with social service providers.

2413.1 The Chancellor may accept health services, including primary health, behavioral health, and oral health, from the Director of the Department of Health, the Director of the Department of Mental Health, or from a public or non-profit healthcare organization. The health services shall be provided to D.C. Public Schools students in a school setting in accordance with the provisions of this section, Standard as established by the Department of Health, and an agreement concerning school-based health centers (SHCs) executed by the D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) and the healthcare organization.

This webpage describes the school health services program and the responsibilities of school health suite staff to provide clinical services to children with health care needs.