School-Based Health Care

Overview

As adolescents transition from childhood to adulthood, they must learn how to navigate their own health care needs and assume responsibility for their own health habits and behaviors. School-based health centers can provide adolescents with easy access to health care services, such as annual preventive well visits, managing chronic conditions, and disease prevention.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has developed a model for the expansion of school-based health centers in Kansas with the goal of increasing access to preventive health services and comprehensive well-visits for adolescents.

Phase 1 & 2

Phase 1 of this project involved the development of the model based on national best practices and evidence. A school-based health center guide was created to position and support stakeholders and partners to implement the model at the community level.

In Phase 2, a toolkit was created that includes best practices and sample documents to review and utilize in communities interested in establishing a local school-based health center. The toolkit provides guidance on areas such as:

• Business (business plans, job descriptions, sustainability, financing)
• Care Management (mental health, oral health, primary care, telehealth, vaccines, vision)
• Communications (advocacy, marketing, recruitment)
• Evaluation and Quality Improvement (quality management, quality improvement, health surveys)
• Facilities (ADA standards, vaccine storage, and handling, floor plans, design guidelines)
• Health Information (electronic health records, HIPAA and FERPA Regulations, sample compliance and/or release forms)
• Partnerships (engaging stakeholders, sample MOUs)
• Planning (fundraising, grassroots organizing, logic models, need assessments and focus groups, predicting sustainability, strategic plans)
• Policies and procedures
• Publications (various articles on the role and benefits of school-based health centers)

If you are interested in receiving information about the School-Based Health Center model, please contact the KDHE Child and Adolescent Health Consultant at 785-296-1305.