A Statewide Profile of Frequent Users of School‐Based Health Centers: Implications for Adolescent Health Care

Abstract

SBHCs deliver core health care services to adolescents, including behavioral, reproductive, and checkup services, to high need populations. American-Indian youth, more than their peers, use SBHCs for behavioral health and checkups.

Chronic Childhood Trauma, Mental Health, Academic Achievement, and School‐Based Health Center Mental Health Services

“…18 Studies have shown SBHCs increase access to health and mental health care, especially for the ''hard to reach'' and high-risk adolescent population, as well as minority and lower socioeconomic pediatric populations. [14][15][16][17][18][19][20] Multiple studies have documented how SBHCs overcome typical barriers to care: (1) lack of insurance coverage; (2) inability to access care because of lack of transportation, limited clinic hours, or language barriers; (3) national shortage of mental health providers; (4) lack of coordination of care with providers, families, and schools; (5) lack of culturally sensitive or age-appropriate services; (6) lack of screening by health care providers or schools; (7) lack of confidentiality for adolescents; and (8) stigmatization of persons requiring mental health services. [14][15][16][17][18] SBHCs have demonstrated the ability to increase school attendance, improve academic scores, decrease school dropout, and provide cost-efficient high-quality care, and adolescents have favorable attitudes toward their use.…”

“…[14][15][16][17][18][19][20] Multiple studies have documented how SBHCs overcome typical barriers to care: (1) lack of insurance coverage; (2) inability to access care because of lack of transportation, limited clinic hours, or language barriers; (3) national shortage of mental health providers; (4) lack of coordination of care with providers, families, and schools; (5) lack of culturally sensitive or age-appropriate services; (6) lack of screening by health care providers or schools; (7) lack of confidentiality for adolescents; and (8) stigmatization of persons requiring mental health services. [14][15][16][17][18] SBHCs have demonstrated the ability to increase school attendance, improve academic scores, decrease school dropout, and provide cost-efficient high-quality care, and adolescents have favorable attitudes toward their use. 16,39,[41][42][43][44][45][46] The expansion of the SBHC with mental health services is a structural intervention that may have the potential to reduce the inequalities currently documented in pediatric mental health that continue to exacerbate disparities in school achievement that in turn perpetuate income inequality disparities and increased exposure to chronic trauma in the United States.…”

“…Schools have increasingly become the focus for health interventions and services because of their availability and accessibility to students . There is some evidence that school‐based health centers (SBHCs) have demonstrated the ability to increase access to and utilization of quality cost‐effective health and mental health services for children and adolescents, especially in underserved populations . Expanding this model of care has the potential to increase health equity in underserved at‐risk youths.…”

“…13 There is some evidence that schoolbased health centers (SBHCs) have demonstrated the ability to increase access to and utilization of quality cost-effective health and mental health services for children and adolescents, especially in underserved populations. [14][15][16][17][18][19][20] Expanding this model of care has the potential to increase health equity in underserved at-risk youths. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature exploring chronic childhood trauma's impact on academic achievement as mediated by mental health disorders, disparities in child and adolescent mental health care, and the impacts of SBHCs that incorporate mental health services on children and adolescents.…”

MOBILE‐izing Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Care: A Pilot Study Using a Mobile Health Unit in Chicago

“…Although not statistically significant, differences in interest in learning about sexual health and birth control by youth's level of sexual experience suggest that youth who are sexually experienced may be particularly in need of and receptive to this model of care. A profile of SBHC users in New Mexico showed that 23% of all visits were for sexual and reproductive health services, second only to visits for behavioral health services (40%) . For students attending schools without SBHCs, mobile access to SRHC may be even more critical.…”