Per OME, health supports are an allowable service and activity to improve academic engagement of migrant students. Healthy students are more likely to reach their fullest educational potential. For this reason, Washington created the Washington State Migrant Health Program (MEHP) in 1978. This positions us as leaders in the nation to explore innovative ways to support the health of migrant families in Washington. Our current State Service Delivery Plan outlines Goal #5; Eliminating Educational Barriers through Support Services as a priority in Washington state. In essence, MEHP seeks to identify the health needs of our unique migrant communities and support school districts to address barriers to health.
Northwest Educational Service District provides technical assistance to migrant students, families and participating school districts in fulfilling the vision of the Migrant Education Health Program.
What would this look like for migrant students in participating school districts?
Every participating school district in the Title 1 Part C Grant receives a health allocation depending on eligible migratory students enrolled in the residing school district. These funds are set aside to support the unique health needs of migrant students in the local school district. These services can include but are not limited to eyeglasses, hygiene kits, medication etc.
- 100 or less migrant students = $1,500
- 100-400 migrant students = $2,500
- 400 + or more migrant students = $4,000
When should a district cover the cost of supplemental health and social service?
When there is a delay or a lack of availability from other federal, state or other local program resource such as:
- Local state or federal qualified health care centers – i.e. Medicaid;
- Other basic educational funds
- Other federal education funds – i.e. Title I, VI, etc.
- Hospital charity service (if available in the region/area)
- faith-based organization – i.e. Catholic charities (if available in the region/area)
- Community-based organizations: Lion Club, Rotary Club, etc.
In addition, supplemental heath and social services must also meet the following criteria:
- Considered a preventative health service (i.e. non-emergency or long-term requiring ongoing treatment);
- Tied to help the child meet his or her learning need;
- Reasonable prices, applied sliding scale reductions offered to migrant eligible youth and families;
- And allocable.
The funds are awarded with the school year grant. Unused funds carry over and renew annually thereafter.
Are there additional opportunities to support the health of migrant students?
All participating migrant school districts can prioritize health supports with their general migrant funds if consultation with your local PAC identifies health as a priority. However, there are some additional unique opportunities provided by OSPI for more specific and specialized support.
More information
For more information, read the Migrant Education Program FAQ.
Check out a SPOT Vision Screener at no cost to your district!
Youth vision screenings are conducted in school districts and migrant health programs. However, mobility may preclude some migrant students from participating during routine exams conducted through basic education. To support these efforts, the OSPI migrant program has purchased two Welch Allyn Spot instrument –based vision screeners. These screeners are available for MEP Project School Districts to use through the NWESD School Nurse Corps (SNC) lending library. Recognizing needs related to migrant vision screening, MEP has partnered with NWESD School Nurse Corps and committed to three objectives:
- Supporting migrant student vision screenings using instrument-based screeners
- Improving vision screening practices
- Ensuring vision referrals to providers
MEP screeners are intended to support vision screenings of migrant youth ages 3 through 21. Migrant students in 4th, 6th and 8-12th grades are the primary focus. Visit the NWESD SPOT Lending Library to learn more about the program requirements.
Apply for an additional $10,000-$50,000 to support the unique behavioral health needs of migrant students in your school district!
Does your local PAC express the need for expanded mental health services, mental health education or wellness events for migrant youth? We have exciting news! The Washington Migrant Education Program (MEP) is making the MEP Behavioral Health Grant available. Federal funds are available to participating school districts to help migratory children benefit from the introduction or expansion of high-quality behavioral health programs and services. The introduction or expansion of behavioral health programs and services must:
- Address specific identified behavioral health needs of local educational agencies’ migratory eligible students;
- Be supplemental to existing local, state, federal, or other resources;
- In alignment with the MEP State Service Delivery Plan activities and services;
- Align with the core PAC identified needs and supported activities.
Funds will be available in five different block grant opportunities depending on the level of need, migratory student count, and program(s)/services proposed.
Work with OSPI to explore implementation of a future Migrant Nurse Consortium in your community!
Continued expansion of school health requirements leave small and/ or resource limited school districts ill prepared to meet the growing migrant student health needs. We also recognize that School RN services are not available equitably across the state; In the past 15 years, the number of students with chronic health conditions has increased by 328% in WA. We also know that COVID-19 further proved the need for further investment and intervention to meet MEP needs (2020-present). For these reasons OSPI piloted a new model in 2019, where MEP funds were used to establish a school nurse consortium in Skagit County. This program saw resounding success. Today we have a total of 12 migrant nurses across Washington state, making for a total of three projects in our Western Washington region. Connect with OSPI to learn more about these initiatives and the possibility of further expansion. Contact Armando Isais-Garcia armando.isais-garcia@k12.wa.us
