HLS 16RS-278 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 90
BY REPRESENTATIVE STEVE CARTER
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Designates April 21, 2016, as School-Based Health Care
Awareness Day in Louisiana
1 A RESOLUTION
2To designate Thursday, April 21, 2016, as School-Based Health Care Awareness Day in
3 Louisiana.
4 WHEREAS, school-based health care facilities are an important statewide resource
5helping to address the health care needs of underserved and uninsured children, providing
6needed preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services, including direct primary and mental
7health care for acute and chronic illnesses, health education, case management assistance,
8and immunizations; and
9 WHEREAS, these facilities provide vital counseling on threats to children's health
10such as childhood obesity, asthma, smoking, substance abuse, and violence, as well as
11behavioral problems ranging from mild to severe; and
12 WHEREAS, in 1990, as policymakers became concerned about the high morbidity
13and mortality rates of adolescents, the office of public health in the Department of Health
14and Hospitals was asked to determine the feasibility of opening school-based health care
15facilities; and
16 WHEREAS, in 1991, the Adolescent School Health Initiative was enacted and
17school-based health care facilities came into existence around the state; and
18 WHEREAS, a school-based health care facility provides convenient access to
19comprehensive, primary, and preventive physical and mental health services for public
20school students at the school site; and
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HR NO. 90
1 WHEREAS, as students spend a significant portion of their day on school grounds,
2school-based health care facilities are accessible, convenient, encourage family and
3community involvement, reduce student absenteeism, reduce parental leave from work for
4doctor visits, and work with school personnel to meet the needs of the students and their
5families; and
6 WHEREAS, school-based health care facilities complement school nurses and social
7workers because generally the scope of practice of school nurses and social workers is more
8limited than that of the school-based health care facility, which has a broad mandate; and
9 WHEREAS, the school-based health care facilities are able to provide
10comprehensive health services to students, providing treatment for minor illness and injury,
11comprehensive physicals as may be required for school-related activities, behavioral health
12counseling, treatments for chronic diseases, required vaccines, and other beneficial services
13to enhance the learning environment of a school; and
14 WHEREAS, at this time, sixty-two school-based health care facilities are operated
15in twenty-seven parishes throughout the state.
16 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
17Legislature of Louisiana does hereby designate Thursday, April 21, 2016, as School-Based
18Health Care Awareness Day in Louisiana.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
20to the Louisiana Alliance on School Based Health board president.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 90 Original 2016 Regular Session Steve Carter
Designates April 21, 2016, as School-Based Health Care Awareness Day in La.
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