A community pediatric prevention partnership: linking schools, providers, and tertiary care services

Integrated school health services traditionally have been provided through the local board of education or health department. However, increased competitiveness in the health care arena has challenged providers to find innovative models to deliver health services to school-aged children. This article describes a partnership among a hospital, a university, private providers, and a local school system and health department to provide school health services. Noteworthy aspects of the project include the organizational structure and funding of the program, implementation of a case management model, and a focus on documenting outcomes. This program has been successful in building local alliances to provide health care services to school children. Implications for other school systems struggling to fund health services for school-aged children are discussed.