The Evidence on School-Based Health Centers: A Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatrics
• Health Equity

Background:

• Pediatricians need health systems that address social determinants of health and improve community well-being.
• School-based health centers (SBHCs) integrate medical, mental/behavioral, dental, and vision care within educational settings.
• SBHCs aim to mitigate health disparities and enhance overall child development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the impact of SBHCs on health equity and child outcomes.
• To synthesize evidence on the financial, physical health, mental health, and educational benefits of SBHCs.
• To identify emerging public health issues that SBHCs can address.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of studies published between January 2000 and December 2018.
• Informed by three high-impact reviews on SBHC history, outcomes, and equity.
• Evidence organized into financial, physical health, mental health, and educational outcome categories.

Main Results:

• SBHCs enhance access to comprehensive health services for children and families.
• Positive short- and long-term outcomes observed across financial, physical, and mental health domains.
• Educational outcomes show promise but require further research on specific metrics and methods.

Conclusions:

• SBHCs are effective in improving health equity and delivering holistic care.
• SBHCs demonstrate broad stakeholder benefits, contributing to community well-being.
• SBHCs are well-positioned to address critical public health challenges like youth gun violence and adverse childhood experiences.