Chicago’s School Health Access Collaborative (SHAC) brings together education and health stakeholders to identify ways to enhance student access to comprehensive, coordinated, and sustainable healthcare, improve the health service delivery model for Chicago students, and elevate equity and wellbeing.
Co-managed by Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago (PHIMC), SHAC leverages the knowledge and expertise of its members to envision a school health system that provides all students with the health and wellness services they need.
More than 40 member organizations — including health and education advocacy groups, medical and behavioral health providers, healthcare payers, and local foundations — work in partnership with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and Chicago Department of Public Health to advance the key priorities listed below. 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 Liz Wilson. Due to COVID, School Health Access Collaborative (SHAC) meetings are virtual.
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 Liz Wilson.
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
