Answer: According to the most recent census by the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care (NASBHC), nearly 2,000 SBHCs are currently operating nationwide.

SBHC Facts & Figures
  • Nationally 96% of school health centers are located inside a school building and 3% are located on the school campus.
  • The majority of school health centers are located in urban areas (56.7%).
  • A 2000 study of high school SBHC users reported that students had a 50% decrease in absenteeism and a 25% increase in attendance over nonusers (1).
  • 81% of health centers report billing Medicaid for care provided to its beneficiaries; 68% report billing the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and TriCare, 41%.
  • A study by Mathmatica Policy Research found that 71% of students who had access to an SBHC reported having a health care visit in the past year, compared to only 59% who did not have access.

    Services offered in School-Based Health Centers
    School-based health centers offer various services and programs for students, including vision and hearing screenings, preventive care/immunizations, and primary care referrals. Schools systems with more staff members may also provide counseling, social services, oral health screenings, and more in-depth health education.
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  • Impact on Children’s Health
    Overall, school-based health centers help adolescents engage in healthier behaviors and give them convenient access to services they may not otherwise have access to. This is especially true for students from poor communities or students without access to health insurance. Students enrolled in School-based health centers benefit from increased time in school, as measured by fewer early dismals from school and increased time in the classroom. (2). Physical and emotional challenges that children face cannot always be overcome in the classroom. With SBHCs located on school property, students have the opportunity to get the care they need without absence from school or concern about health coverage.

    For more information on School-Based Health Centers, please visit…

    • CHHCS: School-Based Health Centers

     http://www.healthinschools.org/School-Based-Health-Centers.aspx

    • National Assembly on School-Based Health Care

    www.nasbhc.org/

    (1) Gall G, Pagano ME, Esmond MS, Perrin JM, Murphy JM. Utility of psychosocial screening at a school-based health center. J Sch Health. 2000; 70(7):292-298.
    (2) Van Cura, Maureen. The Relationship Between School‐Based Health Centers, Rates of Early Dismissal From School, and Loss of Seat Time. Journal of School Health.
    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2010.00516.x/abstract