Existing Laws

California Laws Related to School-Based Health Centers

AJR 10 (Brownley): School-Based Health Centers (2011)

Resolution Chapter 68, Statutes of 2011; sponsored by the California Alliance

This resolution was passed by the California Legislature in 2011. AJR 10 affirms the Legislature’s support for the federal school-based health center program authorized by Congress in 2010 and calls for an appropriation by Congress for that program. It also affirms the Legislature’s support for state and federal policies that include school-based health centers as partners for creating medical homes for all children, and for the inclusion of school-based health centers in the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act as an important strategy for ensuring that students are physically and mentally healthy and therefore ready to learn. Read the full text of AJR 10 (PDF).

SB 564 (Ridley-Thomas): The School Health Centers Expansion Act (2008)

Chapter 381, Statutes of 2008; sponsored by the California Alliance

Signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger in September 2008, SB 564 builds upon an earlier Ridley-Thomas bill, AB 2560, which established a Public School Health Center Support Program. SB 564 created a grant program for school health centers administered by the Public School Health Center Support Program. To date, the grant program has not been funded. Read the full text of SB 564 (PDF).

AB 2560 (Ridley-Thomas): The School Health Centers Act (2006)

Chapter 334, Statutes of 2006; sponsored by the California Alliance

Signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger on Sept. 19, 2006, this law created a Public School Health Center Program jointly administered by the Department of Health Services and the Department of Education. The program was designed to collect school health center data, facilitate the development of comprehensive health centers in partnership with California public schools, and address the programmatic, clinical, finance, and policy needs of California’s school health centers. To date, the program has not been implemented because neither state funding nor staff was made available for the program. Read the full text of AB 2560 (PDF).

SB 620 (Presley): Healthy Start Support Services for Children Act (1991)

Chapter 759, Statutes of 1991

This bill established Healthy Start, which provides planning and implementation grants for school-based student support services and their coordination. Healthy Start programs offer: academic and educational support; youth development and employment services; family support services; and medical and mental health care.

Many of California’s SBHCs started as Healthy Start programs. Healthy Start funding peaked at $39 million in the 1990s. In 2007, the program was funded at $10 million. Since 2007, no new Healthy Start grants have been awarded.

Federal Laws Regarding School-Based Health Centers

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka Health Care Reform) (2010)

Public Law 111-148, Title IV, Subtitle B, Sec 4101

This piece of legislation defines school-based health centers as providing comprehensive primary care services, including both physical and mental health services, at or near a school, in a clinic operated by a qualified sponsoring agency. It establishes and appropriates funds for a one-time grant program for school-based health center facilities, equipment, and related expenditures. It authorizes but does not appropriate funds for a school-based health center grant program for equipment, training, management and operations, and personnel. Read the full text of the section of the legislation defining SBHCs. Read the portion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act focused on SBHCs.

Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act/Social Security Act (2009)

Public Law 74-271, Sec 2110(c)(9)

This piece of legislation defines school-based health centers as providing comprehensive primary care services at or near a school, in a clinic operated by a sponsoring agency. It defines sponsoring agency as a hospital, public health department, community health center, nonprofit health care agency, local educational agency, or a program administered by the Indian Health Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, or an Indian tribe or organization. Read the full text of the section of the legislation defining SBHCs.