School-Based Health
Why it matters
Improving Access to Care
School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) are an important access point to health care for adolescents. SBHCs reduce barriers to care, such as cost to the patient, access, missed work for parents/caregivers, and transportation. Adolescents who utilize SBHCs have been found to have increased rates of preventive visits and immunizations, improved chronic disease management outcomes for asthma, obesity, and mental health care, and decreased health care costs. Due to concerns about fragmented care for patients utilizing SBHCs, the American Academy of Pediatrics endorses the collaboration of community primary care providers with SBHCs.
This photo is part of our Youth in Health: Inclusive Stock Photography Collection.
Starter Guides
Starter Guides are mini-toolkits that offer concrete, actionable steps to improve adolescent care.
School and School-Based Health Center (SBHC) Collaboration
SBHC-PCP Partnerships for an Expanded Medical Home
Collecting Patient Satisfaction Surveys From Adolescents
Integrated Behavioral Health in a SBHC
Youth-Friendly Materials
Communicating with youth and their caregivers about the value of confidential services helps to normalize the risk screening process and encourage adolescent autonomy. AHI has resources to help your health center communicate your confidentiality practices to adolescent patients and their parents/caregivers.
Manual to establish and sustain a Youth Advisory Council. Additional Appendix found here.
Sample health rights for teens poster to display in exam and waiting rooms. Contact us for a poster specific to your state!
Poster serving as a visual cue to welcome teen patients. Contact us to request a free printed copy.
Webinars & Trainings
AHI partners with organizations to develop and facilitate engaging webinars on adolescent-centered care. Through the delivery of rich content and use of interactive features, we provide a meaningful, web-based educational experience.
Webinar recording: Parent/Caregiver Engagement in School Based Health Clinics
This webinar took place on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. Access the recording today.
Adolescents and caregivers go hand-in-hand when talking about teen health care. Learn strategies to enhance the clinic experience for youth and caregivers alike, no matter if they are the “over-engaged” caregiver or the “under-engaged” caregiver. Review best practices for adolescent confidentiality as well as how to navigate tricky conversations with caregivers and adolescents.
Adolescent-Centered Environment Assessment Process (ACE-AP)
Our Adolescent-Centered Environment Assessment Process (ACE-AP) helps health centers become more youth-friendly and improve their adolescent quality measures. More than just a checklist, the ACE-AP is a facilitated, comprehensive self-assessment and guided improvement process that includes customized resources, recommendations, technical assistance, and implementation plans using Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) improvement cycles.
Additional Resources
We Can Help!
Interested in making your SBHC more youth-friendly or forging relationships with local PCPs (or with SBHCs, if you are a PCP)? We help health centers across the country instate customized workflows to best fit their needs and implement best practice in adolescent health care.
