UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas has invested $1 million in Goodside Health to bring vital healthcare services to 200 schools across the state, including many in North Texas.

The partnership will conduct Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) wellness events, as healthcare becomes “a vital resource in schools alongside the familiar staples of reading, writing, and arithmetic.”

Donald Langer, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas, emphasized the importance of expanding access to essential healthcare services to help children reach their fullest potential and thrive. “We are committed to helping students across Texas live healthier lives,” Langer said in a news release, noting that this partnership enables a comprehensive approach to delivering necessary healthcare services.

Known as Texas Health Steps, EPSDT aims to discover and treat childhood health conditions before they become serious or disabling.

The importance of integrating healthcare into schools is underscored by the impact of both physical and mental health on children’s overall well-being and academic success. United Healthcare cited the U.S. Department of Education in saying that nearly one in five children in the United States live in poverty, and youth from lower-income households are less likely to access healthcare and more likely to experience significant mental health symptoms.

After each visit, Texas Health Steps-credentialed Goodside Health providers will assist students with any next steps to address physical, behavioral, and social needs, including coordinating with the child’s insurance and primary care physician on screening results and follow-ups.

UnitedHealthcare stressed that all students may participate in the wellness events regardless of health insurance status.

The advantages of school-based medical care

“Undiagnosed or untreated health conditions typically have adverse impacts on school attendance, classroom behavior, and overall academic performance,” Goodside Health CEO Brian White said in a statement. “We are grateful for this partnership, which will allow us to bring integrated care to the children and promote their long-term success in life.”

Wellness events will be conducted across the state in 2024 and 2025, serving up to 200 K-12 students per event, depending on the size of the school. Counties where the schools are located include Collin, Dallas, Tarrant, Harris, Hidalgo, Travis, Kaufman, Willacy, and Bexar.

UnitedHealthcare said it serves more than 4.7 million people in Texas enrolled in employer-sponsored, Medicare, and Medicaid benefit plans, with a network of 757 hospitals, and about 146,500 physicians and other care providers statewide.

Austin-based Goodside Health, which offers telehealth and on-site medical care to students across the state, aims to redraw the map of healthcare access. The company, which currently serves over 1.1 million students across more than 110 school districts in Texas, is working to turn schools into wellness hubs that support both education and health.

One of its flagship initiatives is the SchoolMed program, which provides in-school telehealth services, mental health support, and rapid on-site testing. The program helps students get immediate access to medical care without having to leave the school premises, aiming to minimize disruptions to their education.

The company touts a 50% return-to-class rate for students using their services.

Active in Arlington and Fort Worth schools

A recent collaboration with the Arlington Independent School District (AISD) demonstrates the company’s approach. In fall 2023, Goodside Health held one of its first HealthyStudent Days events at Peach Elementary School. The company noted the initiative resulted in nearly 15% of the school’s students, predominantly Medicaid-eligible, receiving Well Child Visits during regular school hours.

Cassie Collamer, RN, the school nurse at Peach Elementary, reported positive outcomes from the event.

“We found several serious health issues that would have gone undetected for who knows how much longer,” Collamer said in a statement.

The program addresses a significant gap in children’s healthcare: According to Goodside Health, less than 50% of school-aged Medicaid enrollees completed their annual wellness visit in 2022. The company’s initiative aims to increase this percentage by offering comprehensive Well Child and Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) visits directly on K-12 campuses.

Goodside Health’s expansion in North Texas extends beyond Arlington.

In 2022, the company highlighted its partnership with Fort Worth Independent School District, which planned to implement the SchoolMed program in up to 80 campuses, with additional services provided across the district’s Family Resource Centers.

Goodside Health expansion

Co-founded by Brian White and Kevin Pearce with a vision to provide accessible healthcare to all children in America, the company was founded in 2011 as Urgent Care for Kids and rebranded as Goodside Health.

In addition to the SchoolMed program, Goodside Health operates 13 pediatric urgent care clinics across Texas. Recently, Goodside Health also expanded its services into pediatric primary health care. The new initiative aims to provide comprehensive primary care services to children, ensuring they have access to routine check-ups, vaccinations, and ongoing health management.

United HealthCare in Texas and DFW

Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare has a significant footprint in Texas, including the DFW area. The company serves nearly 5 million members and has about 32,000 employees in the state. In North Texas, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan is led by Jeffrey Maddox.

The company previously announced its involvement in the STAR+PLUS Medicaid program, which is set to roll out to new parts of Texas on Sept. 1, including Dallas. The service area will include Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, and Rockwall counties.

The STAR+PLUS program, which aims to offer services that help people live more independently, is a Texas Medicaid-managed care program designed for adults who have disabilities or are aged 65 or older. It provides a range of services, including acute care, long-term services and supports (LTSS), and home and community-based services (HCBS).

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