September 21, 2009

Dear Senators Harkin, Enzi, Baucus, and Grassley:

We, the undersigned, want to express our support for the inclusion of school-based health care provisions in health care reform.  Studies indicate that school-based health clinics provide access to care in communities struggling to offer health care services, result in economic savings, and contribute to a healthier and more productive student population.   We are very pleased to see that provisions regarding school-based health clinics have been included in health care reform draft bills.  Students in schools across the country will greatly benefit from comprehensive health care services in their schools.  A healthier student population equals a more successful student population.

Due to insufficient long-term funding from public health and patient revenue, no dedicated federal funding source, and decreasing insurance coverage among the school-aged population, school-based health clinics struggle to keep their doors open. The 2,000 school-based health clinics nationwide represent just a fraction of what is needed to serve our nation’s most vulnerable population – its children, 8.3 million of whom are uninsured.  Health care policy must recognize and support the school-based health clinic model as part of the national health care safety net. 

There are misconceptions surrounding the role school-based health clinics play in schools.  It is unfortunate that distortions mar the reputation of the nationwide network of clinics.  We direct you to Politifact, a reputable source that cleared up some of those harmful untruths: http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/aug/07/liberty-counsel/school-health-clinics-would-not-provide-abortions/.  

The truth: school-based health clinics are equipped to address behavioral and mental health issues, and are positioned to work with school personnel to promote healthy behaviors that can help to prevent obesity, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, and injury.  This is why even education groups have come out in support of the model.  Education Daily featured school-based health care and their many benefits on the front page of their September 14 issue.

We believe that, in order to provide true access to care for children, school-based health clinics MUST remain in any health care reform bill passed by Congress and signed by the President.  The time is now for Congress to codify its support for this valuable health care delivery model and the children whose lives are transformed by this powerful intervention.

Sincerely,
National
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
American Academy of Nursing
American Association of School Administrators
Ascension Health
Academic Pediatric Association (APA)
Broader, Bolder Approach to Education
Child Welfare League of America
Children's Aid Society
Children Now
Children's Health Fund
CLASP
Coalition for Community Schools
Coalition on Human Needs
Every Child Matters Education Fund
First Focus
Healthy Teen Network
LEAnet
Learning Disabilities Association of America
Mental Health America
National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health
National Assembly on School-Based Health Care
National Association for Children’s Behavioral Health
National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA)
National Association of Community Health Centers
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)
National Association of Pupil Services Administrators (NAPSA)
National Association of School Nurses
National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education
National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
National Physicians Alliance
Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health
School Social Work Association of America
Senior High Alliance of Parents Principals and Educators
Society for Adolescent Medicine
Voices for America's Children

Arizona
Arizona School Based Health Care Council

California
Adolescent Health Working Group
Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc.
Bay Area Partnership for Children and Youth
Brown Miller Communications, Inc.
California Adolescent Health Collaborative
California Center for Civic Participation
California Center for Public Health Advocacy
California Church IMPACT
California Family Health Council, Inc.
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
California Primary Care Association (CPCA)
California School Health Centers Association
California School Nurses Organization
CASA del Rio Family Resource Center
Central Valley Health Network (CVHN)
Community Clinic Association of LA County
Delta Health Care
East Bay Asian Youth Center
Elev8 Oakland
Elsie Allen Health Center
Fresno Alliance for Physical Education and Athletics
Girls Incorporated of Alameda County
Great Valley Center
Integrated Behavioral Health Project, Project of the Tides Center
Kids Come First Community Clinic
LA Health Action
Laboratory of Comparative Human Cognition, U.C. San Diego
Lake County Healthy Start
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California
Los Angeles Trust for Children's Health
Los Angeles Unified School District Student Medical Services
Native American Health Center
Northeast Valley Health Corporation
Oakland Unified School District
Partnership for the Public’s Health
Pasadena Unified School District
Pinole Valley High School Student Health Center
Public Health Institute
School Health Clinics of Santa Clara County
Safe Passages Oakland
Shasta Community Health Center
South Central Family Health Center
Southside Coalition of Community Health Centers
St. John's Well Child and Family Center
Teen Pregnancy Coalition of San Mateo County
Teen Talk Sexuality Education
TeenNow California
The El Cerrito High School Community Project
University Muslim Medical Association (UMMA) Community Clinic
Vallejo City Unified School District
Venice Family Clinic
Watts Healthcare Corporation
YMCA of the East Bay

Colorado
Animas Consultants, Inc.
Colorado Association for School-Based Health Care
Colorado Children’s Campaign
Colorado Community Health Network
Denver Health School-Based Health Centers
High Plains Community Health Center
Metro Community Provider Network
Metro Organizations for People
North Colorado Health Alliance
Northside Child Health Center
Olathe School-Based Community Health Center
Peak Vista Community Health Centers

Connecticut
Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers
Connecticut Commission on Children

District of Columbia

Advocates for Youth
Children's Dental Health Project
DC Assembly on School Health Care
Woodson Wellness Center

Florida
Celebrating Abilities Inc.
Florida Coalition for School-Based Health Care, Inc.

Illinois
Advocate Health Care
AIDS Foundation of Chicago
Alternatives, Inc.
Cahokia School Based Health Center
Cass County Dental Clinic
Cass County Health Clinic
Cass County School Linked Health Center
Eastside School Based Health Center
Evanston Township High School Health Center 
Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights
Heartland International Health Center
Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health
Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers
Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition
Illinois Public Health Association
Maine East School Based Health Center
Uplift School Health Center
Voices for Illinois Children

Iowa
Healthy Kids Community Care of Iowa City

Kentucky
Kentucky Youth Advocates

Louisiana
American Academy of Pediatrics - Louisiana Chapter
Carencro Middle School-based Health Center Community Advisory Committee
Health Centers in Schools
Jefferson Parish School Based Health Center
Louisiana Maternal and Child Health Coalition
Madison High School-Based Health Center
Northside High SBHC
Oakdale School-Based Health Center
Richland Parish Hospital
Richland Parish School-Based Health Center
Richardson Medical School Based Clinic
St. Charles Community Health Center
St. Martin Parish School-Based Health Centers and School Nurse Program
The Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana

Maine
Maine Assembly on School-Based Health Care

Massachusetts
Action for Boston Community Development /Boston Family Planning
Barnstable High SBHC
Blackstone Regional Vocational Technical School SBHC
Boston Private Industry Council
Capital Link
Codman Square Health Center
Community Health Connections, Family Health Centers
Dorchester House Multi-Service Center
Family Health Center of Worcester, Inc.
Fitchburg Public School District
Health Care For All
Lowell Community Health Center
Lowell High School SBHC
Lynn Community Health Center
Massachusetts ASCD
Massachusetts Coalition of School-Based Health Centers
Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers
Milford Regional Medical Centre
New England Alliance for Children’s Health
Partners in Sex Education, Inc
The Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy
Youth on Fire

Michigan
ACCESS Community Health & Research Center
Albion Wildcat Wellness Center
Baldwin Teen Health Center
Center for Family Health
Coalition of Michigan Organizations of Nursing
Detroit Black Nurses Association
Detroit Community Health Connection, Inc  
Henry Ford Health System
Ironmen Health Center
Michigan Association of Health Plans
Michigan Association of School Nurses
Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health
Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency
Michigan Nurses Association
Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health
Mott Children’s Health Center
New Haven Medicaid and Community Services
Northwest Michigan Community Health Agency
Oakland Primary Health Services, Inc.
Oakwood Healthcare System
Oakwood Inkster Teen Health Center
Oakwood Lincoln-Jefferson/Barns Elementary School Health Centers
Oakwood Romulus Teen Health Center
Oakwood Taylor Teen Health Center
School-Community Health Alliance of Michigan
St John Health System
The Corner Health Center
Van Buren Community Mental Health
White Cloud Teen Health Center

Minnesota
City of Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support

New Jersey
Family Voices NJ
The Statewide Parent Advocacy Network of New Jersey

New Mexico
Elev8 New Mexico
Gadsden Middle SBHC
New Mexico Alliance for School-Based Health Care
New Mexico Community Foundation
New Mexico Conference of Churches
New Mexico Health Equity Working Group
New Mexico Public Health Association
New Mexico Voices for Children
Region IX Education Cooperative
The Des Moines School Based Health and Wellness Center of Des Moines

New York
Center for Community Health and Education at New York Presbyterian Hospital
Center Franklin Educational Campus
Chenango Health Network
Citizens' Committee for Children of New York, Inc.
Division of Adolescent Medicine, University of Rochester
Healthy Capital District Initiative
Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
Montefiore Medical Center
Montefiore School Health Program
New York State Coalition for School Based Health Centers
Public Health Solutions
Syracuse Community Health Center 
The Resource Center
Threshold School Based Health
University of Rochester East High Clinic
University of Rochester School of Nursing
Women's City Club of New York

North Carolina
Action for Children North Carolina
Center for Adolescent Health & the Law
NC School Community Health Alliance

Ohio
Ohio Association of School Nurses
Ohio School Based Health Care Association
Voices for Ohio's Children

Oregon
Children First for Oregon
Human Services Coalition of Oregon
Kids Health Connection/La Clinica
Oregon Center for Public Policy
Oregon Primary Care Association
Oregon School-Based Health Care Network
Pendleton School District

Pennsylvania
Family Connection of Easton, Inc.
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children

Tennessee
SYNERGIES / National Inhalant Prevention Coalition 
Tennessee Association of School Nurses
Tennessee Nurses Association School Health Task Force

Virginia
The Grant Group, LLC

Washington
Children's Alliance

West Virginia
TEAM for West Virginia Children
West Virginia School-Based Health Assembly
West Virginians for Affordable Health Care

Wisconsin
Families and Schools Together, Inc.