Chicago’s School Health Access Collaborative (SHAC) brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to ensure access to quality school health services for Chicago’s most vulnerable students. Co-convened by Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and the Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago (PHIMC), SHAC brings together more than 40 critical stakeholders, working alongside Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), to create systemic change across the health and education sectors in Chicago.
Member organizations include health and education advocacy groups, medical and behavioral health providers, healthcare payers, and local foundations. By bringing together on-the-ground practitioners, advocates, and school officials, SHAC is able to address system-level challenges and opportunities to ensure all students have access to the health and wellness services they need.
New participants are always welcome. If you or your organization is interested in participating in future meetings, please contact SHAC@chicagoschoolhealth.org. You can also find a list of upcoming meetings here.
What Makes SHAC Unique?
SHAC offers those involved in the delivery side of school health services, advocates of comprehensive school-based healthcare, and city agencies a space to network with each other, share best practices, and identify opportunities to reduce healthcare barriers.
Public health department and CPS representatives attend meetings and provide information about school health and city-wide initiatives. Attendees share their expertise by presenting on the latest developments in the healthcare field and discussing local, state, and national policy updates.
This collective problem-solving leads to new ideas and cross-sector partnerships to improve the school health system. All SHAC members are encouraged to initiate projects and take on leadership roles that match their interests. If your organization is interested in learning more about existing projects, please reach out to SHAC@chicagoschoolhealth.org.
Current Priorities
SHAC’s main priorities in 2022 include health and racial equity, healthcare access and coordination, and delivery of comprehensive services. Specific program topics include:
- Adequate funding sources and equitable funding models
- Comprehensive behavioral and mental health support
- Trauma-informed healthcare
- Social determinants of health, including access to social services, food, housing, and transportation
- Telehealth expansion
- Continuing impacts of the COVID pandemic
