American Academy of Pediatrics: School-Based Health Centers Serve a Critical Role in Many Communities

Evidence points to improved health, learning and student attendance when school-based health centers are offered

Children and teens who are healthy do better in school, leading more communities to establish school-based health centers for comprehensive care, such as help with chronic conditions like asthma, routine immunizations or a mental health check.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, in an updated policy statement, “School-Based Health Centers and Pediatric Practice,” notes that the number of such centers has more than doubled since 1998. The statement, published in the October 2021 Pediatrics (published online Sept. 20), provides an overview of evidence on how the centers improve access to health care services for students by decreasing financial, geographic, age, and cultural barriers.

“For some students, these health centers will serve as their primary source of medical care, especially in underserved communities and when families may lack insurance,” said Chris Kjolhede, MD, MPH, FAAP, lead author of the policy statement, written by the AAP Council on School Health. “We’ve seen from the pandemic that children are struggling on all levels, physically, mentally and in academic learning. These centers help fill a need and ease some of the disparities among those most vulnerable.”

Typically, school-based health centers provide health maintenance supervision or well child care, immunizations and laboratory services. Some centers may provide a wider range of preventive and psychosocial services, including hearing and vision screening, vision services, reproductive health services, mental health services, social services, health education, and oral health services. Mental health services may include screening, counseling, and substance use disorder services.

There are 2,584 school-based health centers that serve students and communities in 48 of 50 states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, according to the National School-Based Health Care Census Report. More centers have opened in rural and suburban areas than in urban settings since 2008.

The AAP recommends:

• Pediatricians who help develop school-based health centers should adopt care coordination practices with the medical home and all health care providers.
• Work to avoid duplication and fragmentation of care. Communication between the community-based pediatric practices and the center is essential in the provision of high quality, safe, and effective health care, especially in the areas of urgent care and referrals.
• Provide clinical services, supervising trainees, serving as the center’s consultant or medical director, or serving as a sponsor.
• Advocate for the development of school health advisory councils or participate on an advisory council, to provide a setting for analyzing and discussing newly emerging trends in health and social behavior and community conditions that affect student health.

“We encourage families to take advantage of the school-based health centers where they are offered,” said April C. Lee, MD, FAAP, co-author of the statement. “They can save families time and money and keep children in school.”

For a copy of the embargoed policy statement or a request for an interview, contact AAP Public Affairs.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.