Delaware receives federal funding to expand school-based health services in schools.
The state is getting $2.5 million from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to boost school health services.
The funding will go toward enhancing facilities, recruiting health care providers, and developing systems to deliver growing school-based health care offerings.
Drew Wilson is the division director at the Delaware Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance.
"It is going to absolutely modernize our school-based, and so school-based services are services that are delivered to our kids in our school settings essentially,” said Wilson. “Right now there are limitations around what can be delivered, mostly screenings and then if you're in an IEP, and what the grant will allow us to do is really modernize those existing systems and then expand it to help address our mental health crisis and provide behavioral health services."
Wilson notes a big chunk of the funding will also help with necessary technology upgrades, and implement best practices to maximize students' access.
"It's going to bring together our schools, our local education agencies along with the education state partners in the Department of Education and also DHSS and Medicaid. It's going to bring all of these parties together in a way to organize and really look at our system with fresh eyes in a way that is only going to benefit kids," said Wilson.
He adds that expanding and modernizing will allow the state to keep up with new federal guidance moving forward.
Wilson made note that Sen. Tom Carper spearheaded the legislation with this funding as it was included in the Bipartisan Gun Safety Law.
