Student Health Reimagined at 2023 SBHIP Event

Reimagining care for students in the Inland Empire is an all-hands-on-deck effort as reaffirmed at the Student Behavioral Health Incentive Program (SBHIP) event held Feb. 27 at Inland Empire Health Plan’s (IEHP) headquarters. 

IEHP, Molina Healthcare of California, Riverside University Health System Behavioral Health, San Bernardino Department of Behavioral Health, the Offices of Education in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, local school districts and charter schools gathered to acknowledge their collaboration and planning efforts over the last year.

These efforts are in response to the California Department of Health Care Services' (DHCS) goal to expand prevention and early intervention behavioral health services in and around schools. The initiative provides financial incentives to partnering school districts and charter schools.

To move beyond planning and gear up for the implementation phase of the initiative, the group shared experiences and insight and raised awareness about their plans. Event speakers included Dr. Amy Young-Snodgrass, chief of the division of forensic pediatrics at LLU Children’s Hospital, Dr. Edwin Gomez, Riverside County Office of Education superintendent, Ted Alejandre, San Bernardino County Office of Education superintendent, Jarrod McNaughton, IEHP chief executive officer, Abbie Totten, plan president of Molina Healthcare of California and others.  

“Molina Healthcare of California is committed to improving access to behavioral health care services in our local schools,” said Totten. “We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with organizations that share in this mission as we move forward to implement innovative solutions addressing this critical issue.”

The initiative’s implementation phase will include key interventions that focus on behavioral health wellness programs, care teams, expansion of the behavioral health workforce, substance use disorders and culturally appropriate and targeted populations. In addition, IEHP will be supporting SBHIP interventions through their Health Plan Navigators, stationed on local school campuses. 

“The relationships, processes and infrastructure we build together will redefine how we care for our children, and have a positive impact for generations to come,” said Amrita Rai, IEHP’s clinical director of community behavioral health. “Having the opportunity to reimagine our systems of care takes intention and it takes work.  I’m so thankful for organizations that share that vision and are willing to make that future a reality.”