COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 149

July 30, 2004

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	FAMIS (Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan)

At the beginning of the 2003-2004 school year, school divisions were asked by the Department of Education, in partnership with the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), to ensure that FAMIS information was integrated with the National School Lunch Programs and that enrollment information was available in each Virginia public school. Informational Superintendents Memo #114, dated September 12, 2003, describes the details of that request.

The school divisions and community organizations efforts over the past two years have been successful. Since Governor Warner took office, more than 97,000 additional children have been enrolled in either FAMIS or FAMIS Plus. However, there is more work to be done. Statewide, there are still more than 50,000 uninsured children who could be enrolled in FAMIS or FAMIS Plus today.

The Department of Education is requesting that your participation in outreach activities continue during the 2004-2005 school year. The attached table presents the recommended activities and the anticipated dates.

We ask that the school divisions school nurse coordinator/contact person serve as the contact person for the school-level child health insurance outreach and coordination.

The Department of Medical Assistance Services has sent informational materials about the FAMIS program to schools for local outreach efforts. In addition, community-based outreach organizations may contact school divisions directly to develop partnerships in this effort. We encourage you to work with them.

Please use these materials to share information with parents regarding the availability of low-cost health insurance through FAMIS or the availability of health services through FAMIS Plus (Childrens Medicaid). We are asking schools to provide information to parents through a variety of mechanisms such as first day of school packets, school nutrition program letters, or report cards.

Thank you again for your assistance in this very important initiative to improve the health of Virginias children. If you have any questions, please contact Gwen P. Smith school health specialist, at (804) 786-8671 or gsmith@mail.vak12ed.edu.

JLD/gps

/administrators/superintendents_memos/2004/inf149a.pdf