The original article is written by the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.
NEW YORK, Aug. 12, 2021 – Citing school-based health centers (SBHCs) as a “vital component of the health care system”, the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) has revised its position statement on SBHCs and emphasized the importance of these centers, especially in disadvantaged areas of the country.
School-based health centers maximize full and direct access to high-quality health care for children and adolescents by providing comprehensive primary care on or near school campuses and linking these services with the school, primary care providers, and community resources. Of the 2,584 SBHCs in the United States, 89% provide access to health care services in schools designated as Title I so they are uniquely positioned to partner with schools to improve access to care, address obstacles to health care, and increase the opportunity for health equity by reducing health disparities.
“SBHCs promote access to affordable, high quality, evidence-based care,” said NAPNAP President Andrea Kline-Tilford, PhD, CPNP-AC/PC. “The comprehensive services available at SBHCs meet the critical needs of children, including many who are uninsured, underinsured, or underserved, and promote life-long health and wellness that positively impact the children, their families and community.”
In the position statement, NAPNAP endorsed the delivery of comprehensive, collaborative and equitable primary health care to all children; development and implementation of national standards for school-based health care using current evidence-based practice guidelines whether delivered through school-based, school-located, mobile or telehealth; comprehensive, high-quality care for school-based health services; equitable private and public insurance reimbursement; broadband access for all children and families addressing critical education, mental and physical health needs; and research and quality improvement initiatives that measure physical, mental, dental, sociocultural health influencers and/or academic outcomes of school-based health care delivery systems and models.
This position statement was published in the July/August edition of the Journal of Pediatric Health Care and can be accessed here.
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