HF 3165

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/30/2023 12:01pm

A bill for an act
relating to health; establishing grants and a contract for activities to sustain
school-based health centers; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law
in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 144.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [144.595] SUPPORT AND GRANTS FOR COMPREHENSIVE
SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have
the meanings given.
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new text begin (b) "School-based health center" or "comprehensive school-based health center" means
a safety net health care delivery model that is located in or near a school facility and that
offers comprehensive medical care, including preventive and behavioral health services,
provided by licensed and qualified health professionals in accordance with federal, state,
and local law, to all students and youth within a school or district regardless of ability to
pay, insurance coverage, or immigration status. When not located on school property, the
school-based health center must have an established relationship with one or more schools
in the community and operate to primarily serve those student groups.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Sponsoring organization" means any of the following that operate a school-based
health center:
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new text begin (1) health care providers;
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new text begin (2) community clinics;
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new text begin (3) hospitals;
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new text begin (4) federally qualified health centers and look-alikes as defined in section 145.9269;
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new text begin (5) health care foundations or nonprofit health care organizations;
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new text begin (6) higher education institutions; or
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new text begin (7) local health departments.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Contract with Minnesota School-Based Health Alliance. new text end

new text begin (a) The
commissioner of health shall contract with the Minnesota School-Based Health Alliance,
an entity organized under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and a state affiliate
of the national School-Based Health Alliance, for activities to sustain the network of
Minnesota school-based health centers and, in coordination with the Departments of Health,
Education, and Human Services, to advance education, stimulate growth opportunities, and
support the establishment and sustainability of school-based health centers.
new text end

new text begin (b) Duties of the Minnesota School-Based Health Alliance shall include:
new text end

new text begin (1) ensuring that school-based health centers that grant funds distributed under subdivision
3 meet the requirements in this section for school-based health centers and adhere to core
competencies identified by the national School-Based Health Alliance including attention
to issues affecting student and health equity;
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new text begin (2) convening regular forums related to school-based and school-linked health care in
Minnesota, including mental health care and behavioral health care;
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new text begin (3) recognizing educational and health equity as key elements in planning and providing
health services in Minnesota schools;
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new text begin (4) providing technical assistance to school-based health centers and to school districts
with school-based health centers or that are interested in establishing school-based health
centers;
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new text begin (5) providing assistance with data analysis and maintenance of a unified data set reported
annually to the Department of Health;
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new text begin (6) cultivating interagency partnerships among educational, health, and human services
stakeholders to further strengthen the role of school-based health centers as part of existing
and emerging health and educational equity efforts and responses to any student health
crisis;
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new text begin (7) supporting revenue models that foster fiscal stability through third-party billing,
medical assistance billing, and support from foundations and federal grants;
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new text begin (8) maintaining relationships with state and national organizations that focus on health
or health and education issues;
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new text begin (9) in partnership with the Department of Health, providing opportunities for workforce
development in school health and coordinating interagency dialogues related to school-based
health care and school-linked behavioral health;
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new text begin (10) in partnership with the Department of Health, developing a process for school
districts to follow if school districts establish school-based health centers;
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new text begin (11) establishing a pool of financially stable organizations across the state with
comprehensive health care experience to serve as sponsoring organizations;
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new text begin (12) assisting school districts, individual schools, and sponsoring organizations in
establishing relationships and agreements;
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new text begin (13) meeting with stakeholders to describe and promote school-based health centers;
and
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new text begin (14) as specified by the commissioner of health, participating in a comprehensive
evaluation of program planning, implementation, service, and costs and anticipated benefits.
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new text begin (c) The Minnesota School-Based Health Alliance must maintain an executive and support
staff to support its work with school-based health centers, participating school districts,
sponsoring organizations, and government partners.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Grants to sustain and expand the network of Minnesota school-based health
centers. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of health shall administer, or contract with the Minnesota
School-Based Health Alliance to administer a grants program that provides grants to
sponsoring organizations that meet the requirements in subdivision 5 in order to sustain
existing school-based health centers and to promote and facilitate the growth of a network
of school-based health centers in Minnesota.
new text end

new text begin (b) Grant funds distributed under this subdivision must be used to support new or existing
school-based health centers that:
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new text begin (1) operate in partnership with a school or district and with the permission of the school
or district board;
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new text begin (2) provide health services through a sponsoring organization that meets the requirements
in subdivision 5; and
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new text begin (3) provide health services to all students and youth within a school or district regardless
of ability to pay, insurance coverage, or immigration status in accordance with federal, state,
and local law.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin School-based health center services. new text end

new text begin Services provided by a school-based
health center may include but are not limited to:
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new text begin (1) preventive health care;
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new text begin (2) chronic medical condition management, including diabetes and asthma care;
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new text begin (3) mental health care and crisis management;
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new text begin (4) acute care for illness and injury;
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new text begin (5) oral health care;
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new text begin (6) vision care;
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new text begin (7) nutritional counseling;
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new text begin (8) substance abuse counseling;
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new text begin (9) referral to a specialist, medical home, or hospital for care;
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new text begin (10) additional services that address social determinants of health; and
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new text begin (11) emerging services such as mobile health and telehealth.
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new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Sponsoring organizations. new text end

new text begin A sponsoring organization that agrees to operate
a school-based health center must enter into a memorandum of agreement with the school
or district. The memorandum of agreement must require the sponsoring organization to be
financially responsible for the operation of school-based health centers in the school or
district and must identify the costs that are the responsibility of the school or district, such
as Internet access, custodial services, utilities, and facility maintenance. To the greatest
extent possible, a sponsoring organization must bill private insurers, medical assistance,
and other public programs for services provided in the school-based health centers in order
to maintain the financial sustainability of school-based health centers.
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new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Public report. new text end

new text begin The Minnesota School-Based Health Alliance must prepare an
annual report of its activities, including its finances, and must make that report available to
the public, the legislature, and stakeholders.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
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new text begin $1,400,000 in fiscal year 2024 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of health for grants and support for comprehensive school-based health centers under
Minnesota Statutes, section 144.595. Of this amount:
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new text begin (1) $500,000 is for a contract with the Minnesota School-Based Health Alliance under
Minnesota Statutes, section 144.595, subdivision 2. Of this amount, the commissioner may
use up to $....... for administrative costs; and
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new text begin (2) $900,000 is for grants to sponsoring organizations to sustain and expand the network
of school-based health centers under Minnesota Statutes, section 144.595, subdivision 3,
including planning for and supporting the establishment of new school-based health centers.
new text end