CareSource commits $300,000 to Communities In Schools to address school absenteeism and provide critical wraparound services

Partnership reinforces CareSource's mission to support in-need populations with vital resources

HENDERSON, NEV. (CareSource) – CareSource, a nationally recognized nonprofit managed care organization, is proud to announce a national partnership with Communities In Schools (CIS), with a portion of the funds being allocated to support essential wraparound services with CIS’s Nevada affiliate, Communities In Schools of Nevada (CIS of Nevada). Funding will be used to support Southern and Western regions of Nevada, along with Northeastern rural regions including Humboldt and Elko, helping thousands of students overcome barriers that impact positive student outcomes.

Debbie Palacios, Executive Director of Communities In Schools of Southern Nevada, and Jayme Puu, Chief Executive Officer of Nevada Market at CareSource. (Photo: CareSource)

CareSource’s support will be directed toward essential wraparound services, which play a key role in addressing the root causes of absenteeism. Wraparound services include academic support, access to basic needs like food assistance and school supplies, mental health resources and family engagement programs, all of which aim to provide students with the tools and resources necessary to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

“Education and holistic support are key to empowering individuals who face significant barriers to achieve academic and personal success,” said Jayme Puu, chief executive officer, CareSource Nevada. “Strong partnerships with community-based organizations like Communities In Schools are essential to tackling the absenteeism issue and helping ensure students and families across Nevada have the support they need to live healthy, productive lives.”

Nationwide, chronic absenteeism has surged to unprecedented levels, with nearly 30% of students missing 10% or more of the school year—a sharp increase from 15% pre-pandemic. According to the Nevada Department of Education, 25.9% of Nevada students are chronically absent. This alarming trend affects millions of students and has been linked to declines in academic performance and long-term outcomes. Clark County, home to Nevada’s largest school district, has seen similar challenges, making effective interventions a top priority. CIS is uniquely positioned to address these challenges through its evidence-based approach, integrating student support into schools to reduce absenteeism and create equitable opportunities for all students.

“CareSource's partnership is instrumental in providing individualized support for our students and families, leading to long-term positive outcomes,” said Tami Hance-Lehr, chief executive officer and state director of Communities In Schools of Nevada. “The CareSource team understands the importance of evidence-based wraparound support for our students. Through their ongoing engagement in volunteering, visiting our schools to understand needs, and giving where it's most impactful, their hands-on approach truly makes a difference in our ability to support Nevada's students.”

In addition to funding critical support services, CareSource supported CIS of Nevada’s annual “Fill the Bus” events earlier this year. Held across the state, these community events help provide much-needed school supplies for thousands of students in underserved neighborhoods in the Clark, Elko, Humboldt and Washoe Counties, ensuring students have the resources to start the school year on the right foot.

This partnership is part of CareSource's organization-wide mission to address the social determinants of health, including housing, access to food and nutrition, and workforce development, which are critical to the well-being and success of its members and the broader community. By focusing on these essential needs, CareSource aims to create long-lasting impacts that serve populations with critical social needs, helping them overcome barriers to success and achieve better health and educational outcomes.

About CareSource Nevada

CareSource Nevada Co. (CareSource Nevada) is a nonprofit managed care organization that seeks to provide access to high-quality care to Nevada Medicaid and Nevada Check-Up-eligible residents of the Silver State. Supported by CareSource’s national managed health plan experience, CareSource Nevada intends to transform health care for Nevadans throughout the state through innovative programs that address the social determinants of health, health equity, prevention and access to care. Through its provider network and partnerships with community-based organizations in every region of Nevada, CareSource Nevada will deliver care with heart.

Learn more at https://healthiernevada.com/.

About Communities In Schools

Communities In Schools® (CIS®) is a national organization that ensures every student, regardless of who they are, their ability, zip code or socioeconomic background, has what they need to realize their potential in school and beyond. Working directly inside more than 3,000 schools across the country, we connect students to caring adults and community resources that help them see, confront, and overcome the barriers that stand between them and a brighter future. Together, we build a powerful change movement made up of peers, students, and alumni committed to building an equitable path to education for future generations.

Follow us for news @cisnational on X, formerly Twitter, or with the hashtag #AllinforKids.

About Communities In Schools of Nevada

CIS places full-time and professionally trained site coordinators in 118 Title I and high-needs schools across Nevada to support more than 100,000 students in grades K-12 who face barriers to their success—increasing the likelihood of students staying in school and graduating on time. The organization taps into a statewide network of more than 120 community nonprofits, partners, and agencies, bringing the community into the school to get students whatever they need to overcome the barriers they face that prevent them from achieving academically. From eyeglasses, dental care, health care, and professional counseling to food, school supplies, clothing, and housing, CIS identifies student needs and finds a way to address them, closing the gaps they experience in their everyday lives. CIS’s long-term vision is for every child enrolled in a Title I or high-needs school to access a CIS site coordinator and their evidence-based model of integrated student support, otherwise known as wraparound services. The graduation rate for CIS case-managed high school seniors in Nevada for the 2022-2023 school year was 95 percent.

For more information, visit http://www.cisnevada.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram