Improving Students Access to Primary Health Care Through School‐Based Health Centers

Background More than 20 million children in the United States lack access to primary health care. Practice Learning Research shows that students with regular access to physical and mental health services have fewer absences, are more social, less likely to participate in risky behaviors, have improv...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of school health 2024-07, Vol.94 (7), p.674-681
Main Authors: Davis, Charles R., Eraca, Jennifer, Davis, Patti A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic achievement
Access
Adolescent
Child
Children
Emotional well being
Health behavior
health care access
health care barriers
Health care delivery
Health care policy
Health facilities
Health Needs
Health promotion
Health research
Health Services Accessibility
Health status
Humans
Instructional Leadership
K‐12th grade students
Learning
Life transitions
Mental Health Programs
Mental health services
New York
Practice based education
Primary care
Primary Health Care
Risk taking
Rural communities
School Health Services - organization & administration
school‐based health centers
Scores
student health and academic achievement
Students
Students - psychology
Test scores
underinsured
underserved
Underserved populations
United States
Well being
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Summary:Background More than 20 million children in the United States lack access to primary health care. Practice Learning Research shows that students with regular access to physical and mental health services have fewer absences, are more social, less likely to participate in risky behaviors, have improved focus and higher test scores. Implication For School Health Policy, Practice, And Equity School‐based health centers (SBHCs) can be an important, valuable and viable health care delivery option to meet the full‐range of primary health care needs of students where they spend the majority of their wake hours, ie, in school. Children in rural and other underserved communities, as well as those underinsured, non‐insured, economically challenged, underserved, and the most vulnerable among us are especially at risk. Conclusions This paper discusses the history, value, and importance of SBHCs from myriad perspectives, including physical and emotional wellbeing, academic and social success, and the promotion of a positive transition to adulthood. In addition, the authors' experiences that resulted in building the first SBHC in the Mid‐Hudson Valley Region of New York State are shared. These experiences form the foundation for creating an important roadmap for individuals and school leaders that are interested in bringing a SBHC to their school and district.
ISSN:0022-4391
1746-1561
1746-1561
DOI:10.1111/josh.13455