School-based health interventions for improved outcomes in Texas
Getting kids set for school often means more than stocking up on pencils and notebooks — it’s also a great opportunity to check in on their health and wellness.
In Texas, an estimated 850,000 children are uninsured1 with roughly 19% of children in Texas2 living at or below poverty. These are significant contributing factors in health outcomes, and can lead to impaired cognitive and emotional development, as well as a lack of school readiness3.
To help address these gaps, the UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas is investing $1 million in school-based healthcare provider Goodside Health to conduct Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) wellness events in 200 schools throughout Texas. This effort brings preventive care to schools, meeting students where they are, and coordinating care across access points. All students are eligible to participate in these wellness events, regardless of their health insurance status. The wellness events will be conducted across the state throughout the 2024 and 2025 school years, serving up to 200 K-12 students per event.
EPSDT is a key driver in the health of Texans and is a part of the Texas Health Steps program, designed to discover and treat childhood health conditions before they become more serious. Following the completion of each visit with Texas Health Steps-credentialed providers of Goodside Health, students and their families are assisted with any next steps to ensure physical, behavioral and social needs are addressed. This may include coordination with the child’s insurance and primary care physician on the screening results or additional follow-up, as needed. If the student doesn’t have a primary care provider, Goodside Health can serve as the patient’s primary care provider in many cases or help with a referral.
Throughout the year, Goodside providers remain accessible within each school by equipping the school nurse office with medical supplies and a tablet for telehealth visits.
“Expanding access to essential health care services is imperative to ensure children have opportunities to achieve their fullest potential and thrive in their communities,” said Donald Langer, Chief Executive Officer, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas. “We are committed to helping students across Texas live healthier lives, and this requires a comprehensive approach that this partnership allows us to deliver.”
The collaboration between UnitedHealthcare and Goodside Health is also being expanded to New Mexico, which will incorporate the offering into schools there — meeting even more students where they are at.
“There is a tremendous need and opportunity in the Texas Health Steps initiative,” said Peter Morrison, Chief Strategy Officer for Goodside Health. “This investment from United Healthcare Community Plan of Texas allows us to enhance our capabilities and extends our runway to serve even more students across Texas.”
Ultimately, this investment and its resulting enhancements in the Goodside offering will empower students to stay in the classroom, take charge of their health goals, and have a greater chance at leading a healthy life.
