School-based health centers
Program basics
- Provide K–12 students with various health care services on school premises or at offsite centers linked to schools
- In underserved communities, serve as strategic “catchment areas” for students who would not have traditionally have access to health care
- Care often provided by teams of nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians
- Reproductive health services may be provided at middle and high schools (dependent on district policy and state law)
- Often manage chronic illnesses
- Most patients are insured by Medicaid or are without insurance
Strength of evidence
Evidence level: Proven (highest tier)
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Proven (highest tier)
Ranked as having the highest level of evidence by County Health Rankings and Roadmaps
Target population
All school-aged children
Program cost
Not available
Implementation locations
- Nationwide
Dates active
Not applicable
Outcomes and impact
- Improved health outcomes
- Increased academic achievement
- Improved quality of care, fewer emergency room visits, reduced hospital utilization, and increased immunization rates
- Improved student health behavior and possible reduction in barriers to accessing mental health services
- Reduced absenteeism and dropout rates and increased graduation rates and connectedness to school
- Increased access to care for minority students, students with disabilities, and underserved urban youth
Keys to successful implementation
- Note: This content is under review
- Programs that focus on prevention as well as physical and mental health care are likely to have better outcomes
- Routine counseling for individuals and groups strengthen preventative measures, keeping children healthy and in schools
- Partnerships with local health care facilities and community health care workers are needed to ensure follow-up and continuity of treatment