Operationalizing the Bridge Care Model-Advocating for At-Risk Students

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Healthcare Partnerships
• School Health Services

Background:

• Uninsured students face significant barriers to meeting health requirements for school entry.
• Limited access to healthcare, funding, and transportation disproportionately affects at-risk, vulnerable families.
• Timely student enrollment is often delayed due to these health-related access issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement the Bridge Care Model through a partnership between an academic nurse-managed clinic network and a local school system.
• To address and remove barriers to school entry for at-risk, uninsured, and vulnerable students.
• To establish a sustainable and cost-effective model for providing direct health services.

Main Methods:

• Formation of a partnership with a Memorandum of Agreement between a nurse-managed clinic and a school system.
• Implementation of the Bridge Care Model at a central student registration site.
• Collaboration involving data analysis and process planning to align programmatic goals.

Main Results:

• Reduced barriers to school entry for vulnerable, at-risk students.
• Provided access to medical navigation support for uninsured families.
• Established a streamlined communication system for supporting students' health needs post-enrollment.

Conclusions:

• The Bridge Care Model effectively facilitated school enrollment for vulnerable students by addressing health requirement barriers.
• On-site health services at a central registration location proved to be a cost-effective and sustainable solution.
• The partnership improved access to care and support for uninsured families and students with complex health needs.