Funding Opportunities: Rural School-Based Healthcare & Health-Related Social Needs of Students

/

Updated July 2024: This opportunity is now closed. Announcement of awardees coming in Fall 2024.

Background

The Better Health Together (BHT) Board recently allocated $450,000 in regional Infrastructure dollars to support Rural School-Based Healthcare projects to increase access and provide rural students vital care. In January and February of 2024, BHT worked to gather feedback from rural schools and providers* to assess the needs and capacity within rural counties across eastern Washington. Based on that feedback, BHT is currently accepting proposals and expecting to fund between 6-10 projects, with a maximum of $75,000 per proposal.

In recognition of our Mission to radically improve the health of the region and our Vision of an integrated and anti-racist health system accountable for better health for ALL in eastern Washington, BHT is seeking proposals that demonstrate they will address socioeconomic, cultural, racial, geographic, and other health disparities experienced by students and their families in rural communities.

In addition, BHT has set aside $50,000 to meet the health-related needs** of students with ten (10) $5,000 mini-grants to schools.

Opportunities

School-Based Healthcare

BHT is seeking one- or two-year project proposals from healthcare providers and schools (grades preK-12) serving and based in Adams, Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, and Stevens Counties or serving and based in Kalispel Tribe of Indians, Spokane Tribe of Indians, and Colville Confederated Tribes sovereign lands.

Health-Related Social Needs of Students

In addition, BHT is offering a $5,000 supplement or, as a stand-alone, for the health-related needs** of students.

Please submit your proposals for one or both funding opportunities by May 15, 2024.  

Goals

Increase access to youth and families in rural settings to affordable, quality, and culturally relevant school-based health care in our rural counties. 

BHT will place priority on funding proposals that:

  • Include partnerships with local healthcare providers and schools.

  • Serving low-income and high-need students from impacted communities.***

  • Have a plan for sustainability once the funding has been expended.

  • Projects that demonstrate long-term strategies that address systemic inequities within rural communities.

What should proposals address?

This funding can be used to provide health-related services to students while they are in school. These programs or services could be telehealth/therapy, on-site and place-based, or mobile services.

In addition, BHT is offering a $5,000 supplement or, as a stand-alone, for the health-related needs** of students. This can include hygiene kits, weather-appropriate outerwear, safety and prevention equipment, and any other health-related need identified by the school administration.

The following criteria will be used to determine how funds are distributed:

  • Provider applicants must provide a letter of support and intent to partner from at least one school or School Board.

  • School District/Board applicants must provide a letter of support and intent to partner with a provider; partnerships with locally-based providers will be prioritized.

  • Proposals should include an expected budget and proposed sustainability plan once funds have been expended.

  • Proposals should include plans for outreach to those most impacted by healthcare access inequities and culturally competent care.

Funds cannot be used to pay Medicaid reimbursable expenses.

Timeline and Process

  • April - May 15 | Request for Proposals (RFP) Open

  • May 15 -30 | Review Committee Selects Awardees

  • June-August | Draft Statements of Work and Plans

  • September | Launch Projects

If you have any questions please contact Hannah Klaassen, Program Manager: hannah@betterhealthtogether.org.

Helpful Terms

*Providers: BHT uses the term healthcare providers, in this instance, to include but not be limited to primary care, dental, behavioral health, and specialty care providers.

**Health-Related Needs: BHT acknowledges there is more to health than primary care; it is also the access to social, physical, occupational, mental, and behavioral resources that make up the larger picture of what makes someone healthy. We recognize that all these areas are interconnected and determine a person’s overall health.  This can include hygiene kits, weather-appropriate outerwear, safety and prevention equipment, and any other health-related need identified by the school administration.

***Impacted Communities: BHT uses the term impacted communities to refer broadly to all groups that have been impacted by systems of oppression, such as Black, Indigenous, People of Color, 2SLGBTQA+, persons with a disability, legal-system impacted, low-income, persons experiencing housing instability, undocumented community members, refugee/immigrant people, rural community members, and more groups that face inequity.