School-Based Health Centers

A School-Based Health Center (SBHC) is one 21st century answer to these growing issues. By creating the most comprehensive “safety net” at school, routine and serious illnesses can be quickly diagnosed, treated, referred out, and most importantly, followed up on to ensure ongoing health. These models are partnerships created by schools and community health organizations to provide on-site medical, oral, and mental health services that will ultimately improve the educational success of children and adolescents.

In the 2006/2007 school year there were 16 districts in Kentucky providing school based primary care services at approximately 35 schools serving over 21,000 children. Operating expenses for these programs varied from $10,000 to $200,000 depending on the scope of services and hours of operation.
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Funding of School-Based Health Centers

Funding to support these centers comes from private foundations, local schools, local communities, health departments, primary care centers, hospitals and billings to Medicaid and private insurance. A one-time appropriation for SBHC was approved by the 2006 legislature. Funds varied from $10,000 to $20,000 per SBHC.

Benefits of School-Based Health Centers

A recent study funded by the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati comparing similar schools in Ohio and Kentucky with SBHC to those that did not, found that those with a SBHC:

• Generate about $2 in social benefit for each $1 spent on operating costs;
• Save money on care for children in rural areas;
• Save money on hospitalization and emergency room visits for Medicaid children with asthma;
• Encourage the use of more appropriate healthcare services;
• Help African American children get more care;
• Increase mental health care for children;
• Increase dental care for children;
• Provide care for children who have no insurance;
• Support working and single parents;
• Keep children in school and ready to learn;

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Kentucky’s School-Based Health Centers

• Arlington Elementary, Lexington, KY
• Southgate, Northern, KY
• Boone County School System, Florence, KY
• Eminence Independent Schools, Eminence, KY
• Erlanger-Elsmere, Erlanger, KY
• Harrison Health Kids Center, Lexington, KY
• Henderson County
• Johnson Elementary, Lexington, KY
• Leslie County Schools, Hyden, KY
• Lewis County Schools, Vanceburg, KY
• Lincoln County Schools, Stanford, KY
• Ludlow School-Based Health Center, Ludlow, KY
• Newport Schools, Newport, KY
• Owen County Schools, Owenton, KY
• Silver Grove, Silver Grove, KY
• Tates Creek Elementary, Lexington, KY

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Medical Partners & Funders

• Boone County Health Department
• Central Baptist Hospital
• CVS/Caremark
• Fayette County Health Department
• Foundation for Healthy Kentucky
• Frontier Nursing Service
• Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati
• Healthpoint
• KY Dept for Public Health
• Lincoln County Health Department
• Methodist Hospital, Primary Care Center
• Primary Plus
• Sanofi Pasteur
• St. Luke West
• Summit Medical
• Three Rivers District Health Department

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