Gov’t to integrate health services into 100-plus schools in new semester

The new initiative will allow students who are eligible under the federal Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program to receive evaluations, therapies and other essential health services within the school environment, with the purpose of ensuring continuity of treatment and early detection of conditions that affect academic performance.

By THE STAR STAFF

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón announced during a visit to Marta Vélez de Fajardo Elementary School in Bayamón on Monday an initiative to integrate health services directly into public schools as part of the start of the January 2026 school semester.

“Today we begin a new semester and take a significant step toward the well-being of our students, with the goal that no health condition, diagnosis, or administrative barrier will rob our children in their schools of the opportunity to learn and develop,” the governor said in a written statement.

González Colón said the initiative will allow students who are eligible under the federal Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to receive evaluations, therapies and other essential health services within the school environment, with the purpose of ensuring continuity of treatment and early detection of conditions that affect academic performance.

Education Secretary Eliezer Ramos Parés added that the agreement represents a significant step forward for students in the Special Education program.

“We currently have high demand, and this helps us provide the resources and services that students need for their optimal development,” Ramos Parés said.

Health Secretary Víctor Ramos Otero noted that the agreement eliminates historical barriers to accessing health services for vulnerable students.

“By bringing health services to the school environment through Medicaid and CHIP, we are breaking down barriers that have limited access for years and allowing for the timely identification of conditions that directly impact learning,” Ramos Otero said.

Carlos Santiago, the executive director of the Health Insurance Administration and the Medicaid program, said the program will use federal funds to reimburse eligible health services provided in public schools, thereby strengthening the fiscal sustainability of the education and health systems.

The initiative will be implemented in phases, beginning with a pilot program in up to 101 public schools, with an estimated impact on 10,354 students during the current semester. The projected fiscal impact is some $10 million this semester and up to $150 million between August and December.

The program will be administered by the Health Insurance Administration’s Vital Program and will initially be implemented in 21st Century schools that meet current federal requirements.