The Effectiveness of School-Based Health Centers

Effective Care: Research on the effectiveness of school-based health centers is compelling.

  • A major national study found a significant increase in health care access by students who used school-based health centers compared with students who did not have access to onsite services.[i]
  • School-based health centers have been effective in reducing health disparities and attracting harder to serve populations such as minority students and males.[ii]
  • Adolescents are ten times more likely to seek mental health service from a school-based health center than a community provider.[iii]
  • Declines in rates of depression and suicidal ideation are associated with use of school-based health centers.[iv]
  • Students who received counseling services at a school-based health center significantly reduced their rates of absenteeism and tardiness.[v]
  • School-based health centers have been shown to have higher completion rates for immunization series among 12-18 year olds than community health centers.[vi]
  • Adolescents with school-based health center access were screened for high-risk behavior more frequently and had lower rates of emergent and urgent care use than those without.[vii]
  • Overall, school based health centers have been shown to help students stay in school[viii] and reduce the use of emergency room care and Medicaid expenditures while also increasing the use of preventive and well-child services.[ix]


[i] Kisker EE, Brown RS, Do SBHCs improve adolescents’ access to health care, health status, and risk-taking behavior? J Adol Health 1996;18:335-343.

[ii] Juszczak L, Melinkovich P, Kaplan D, Use of health and mental health services by adolescents across multiple delivery sites. J Adol Health 2003;32S:108-118.

[iii] Kaplan DW, Calonge BN, Guernsey BP, Hanrahan, MB. Managed care and SBHCs. Use of health services. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1998 Jan;152(1):25-33.

[iv] Santelli J, Kouzis A, et al. SBHCs and adolescent use of primary care and hospital care. J Adol Health 1996; 19: 267-275.

[v] Gall G, Pagano ME, Desmond MS, Perrin JM, Murphy JM. Utility of psychosocial screening at a SBHC. J Sch Health. 2000; 70:292-298.

[vi] Federico, S. G. et al., (2010). Addressing adolescent immunization disparities: A retrospective analysis of school-based health center immunization delivery. American Journal of Public Health, 100, 1630-1634. Retrieved February 22, 2012, from ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.2009.176628

[vii] Kaplan DW, Calonge BN, Guernsey, Hanrahan, MB. Managed care andSBHCs. Use of health services. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1998Jan;152(1):25-33.

[viii] Dallas Youth and Family Centers Program: Hall, LS (2001). Final Report - Youth and Family Centers Program 2000-2001 (REIS01-172-2). Dallas Independent Schools District.

[ix] Santelli J, Kouzis A, et al. SBHCs and adolescent use of primary care and hospital care. J Adol Health 1996; 19: 267-275.

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