School-Based Health Centers
- School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) offer a wide range of health care services to students who may not otherwise receive medical care.
- SBHCs, located in schools or on school grounds, are run by licensed health professionals who provide preventive health care and services and treat common and chronic illnesses. Some centers also provide mental health and dental care services.
- SBHCs increase overall school attendance by allowing students to stay on school grounds for medical care. They can also benefit the community in areas that are sorely in need of health care services because some centers are available for the community at large.
- State legislators can play several rolls in SBHC policy, including:
* Setting standards of care for the centers;
* Ensuring that the centers are recognized as eligible providers in the state's Medicaid program and included in the state's managed care networks; and
* Allocating state funds to cover the cost of uncompensated medical and mental health care.
- Nearly one-third of funding for SBHCs is directed through state governments. These sources include general funds, Maternal and Child Health block grants, tobacco taxes, and tobacco settlement money.
Sources: The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools; National Assembly on School-Based Health Care; NCSL, 2003.
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