Chapter 23A Funder's Perspective—Supporting Local Policy Change to Sustain Investments

Abstract

“Students who are hungry, sick, troubled or depressed cannot function well in the classroom, no matter how good the school.” —Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development INTRODUCTION Children and adolescents are among the most underserved populations in America's health care system and are often overlooked in the larger health care reform debate.1 As a result, many children and young adults face difficulty in accessing primary health care because of a lack of medical providers in the community, socioeconomic status, medical insurance coverage, and other factors. The issue of access to quality medical care is one that affects not only our youth, but their parents, their lifestyles, and their overall well-being. One way to address this issue is to consider school-based health centers (SBHCs) as an access point to comprehensive health care for younger populations. SBHCs are partnerships created by school and community health organizations to provide the medical services that promote the health, wellness, and emotional success of school-age youth. Through SBHCs, students are able to access a wide array of health care services such as primary, dental, and mental and behavioral health care, and receive referrals for other health services.2 Because parental consent is required for any student treatment, and SBHCs vary by location, services are determined at the local level through parental and community input. The SBHC model is a unique and successful approach to providing quality comprehensive medical care to vulnerable populations. For many individuals SBHCs are a medical home, yet SBHCs have struggled to be identified with traditional safety net providers and to benefit from legislation impacting those providers.