School-based health care continues to grow in California with more services for students and more places of access. There are now 231 school-based health centers (SBHCs) providing high-quality health care to students. Across California, more than 242,000 students attend a school that has a health center, and many more have access to other types of school health services.
This is more than double the number a decade ago. Of the 231 SBHCs, 148 offer mental health care, 52 offer dental treatment, and 87 offer youth engagement programs that keep kids connected to school and thinking about their future.
The biggest growth in services in 2014 are with dental prevention (offered at 42% of sites), reproductive health screening and education (at 70% of sites), youth engagement (at 38% of sites), and mental health services (now at 64% of sites). The California School-Based Health Alliance has made it a priority to help school districts expand mental health services this year.
SBHCs are so popular because they offer convenient health care for kids in a setting families already know and trust.
Students who utilize SBHCs are less likely to go to the emergency room or be hospitalized, keeping costs down. SBHCs also improve attendance, reduce dropout rates, improve school climate, and support students’ academic achievement. Schools and school districts partner with health service providers to finance SBHCs.
More Information on California’s SBHCs
There are 231 SBHCs serving 242,000 students across California. SBHCs are usually located directly on a school campus and provide primary care like any health clinic. Staff vary in size, and typically includes nurse practitioners, nurses, mental health providers, as well as part-time physicians and medical students. Services are provided at no or low cost. No one is refused service for inability to pay.
Services Offered
| Service | Number | Percentage |
| Medical | 200 |
87% |
| Reproductive Health – Screening and Education | 161 | 70% |
| Health Education | 141 | 61% |
| Mental Health | 148 | 64% |
| Reproductive Health – Clinical Care | 127 | 55% |
| Dental Treatment | 52 | 23% |
| Dental Prevention | 97 |
42% |
| Nutrition/Fitness | 77 |
33% |
| Youth Engagement | 87 | 38% |
Sponsoring Org Types
| Type of Sponsoring Organization | Number | Percentage |
| Community Clinic | 125 | 54% |
| School District | 64 | 28% |
| Local Health Department | 12 | 5% |
| Hospital | 9 |
4% |
| Nonprofit Organization | 12 |
5% |
| Mental Health Agency | 7 | 3% |
| University, Including Medical Center | 1 |
.4% |
| Tribal Government | 1 | .4% |
Onsite SBHC Location Level
| School Level | Number | Percentage |
| High School | 94 | 40% |
| Elementary School | 57 | 25% |
| Middle School | 23 | 10% |
| Other (school-linked/mobile/combined levels) | 57 | 25% |