School Based Health Centers
School-based health centers (SBHCs) improve health outcomes by increasing access and providing multidisciplinary health care to underserved populations.
PARTNERS for Equity in Child and Adolescent Health (PARTNERS) facilitates:
- Expansion of school-based health centers throughout the state of Georgia
- Community engagement and advocacy in addressing the health care needs of its children
- An infrastructure to support the operation of school-based health centers (GASBHA)
- The development of SBHC that promote student and staff wellness, obesity prevention and social/emotional well-being (Hallways to Health)
Recognizing that school-based health centers facilitate easy access to health care for children in addition to decreasing the cost of their health care, PARTNERS for Equity in Child and Adolescent Health (PARTNERS) is facilitating the expansion of these centers throughout the state of Georgia. A Request for Proposals was made available to school districts, community organizations, and health care providers in Georgia interested in pursuing the development of a school-based health center in their respective communities. Planning grants have been awarded to 52 sites across 56 counties in Georgia. As of 2024, 120 School-Based Health Centers are now operational in Georgia. These centers provide enhanced access to healthcare for over 7,000 students, as well as their siblings and school staff. This progress represents a significant step forward in our efforts to improve healthcare access and outcomes in the state of Georgia.
Comprehensive Pediatric Care
Primary care is the foundation of quality health care for children, especially for the underserved. An effective medical home must address the health, cognitive and inter-related psychosocial challenges that at-risk children face. Primary care for urban families must provide a medical home which addresses the interrelated health, cognitive/academic, and psychosocial/behavioral challenges which affect economically disadvantaged children and perpetuate the cycle of poverty. However, a few pediatricians routinely address family psychosocial problems at well child visits. An overarching goal of the Urban Health Program is to establish a culture that encourages providers and staff to embrace a holistic view of children within their family and cultural contexts and address the full range of issues which impact children’s well-being.
Our model includes:
- The Patient Centered Medical Home geared toward increasing health checks; developing a comprehensive health education program; and developing a Family Resource Center (School Brochure 7-12; Daycare Brochure 7-12);
- Integrated Behavioral Health in the primary care setting with increased mental health assessments through universal psychosocial screening, behavioral health interventions, and referrals to community resources;
- Comprehensive Family Support through family needs assessments tools (PARTNERS-Family Resources Survey Jan 2013; PARTNERS-Child Health Survey;PARTNERS-Adolescent Psychosocial Screening Tool -9-29-10); utilization of the Health Law Partnership (HeLP) to empower parents to more effectively advocate for healthcare, educational, and other needed services; and parenting workshops around a range of topics including chronic disease management, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and parenting skills;
- Childhood Injury Prevention to reduce the incidence of intentional and non-intentional childhood injuries through early detection, injury prevention instruction, and the development of a “Safety Store.”
Academic Success Initiative
Education is a direct predictor of health. Pediatricians must address children’s cognitive and academic development to maximize their health outcomes. The PARTNERS for Equity in Child and Adolescent Health promotes early childhood education programs through:
- Reach Out and Read in which physicians evaluate and encourage early literacy through book distribution at well child visits;
- Community partnerships with early childhood programs, schools, libraries, and book stores;
- Parent involvement encouraging parents in school involvement and advocacy
Community Focused Physicians Training
An overarching goal of the PARTNERS for Equity in Child and Adolescent Health is to establish a culture that encourages providers and staff to embrace a holistic view of children within their family and cultural contexts and address the full range of issues which impact children’s well-being. As an integral part of that training, the Pediatric Public Health Curriculum has been created to serve as a guide and resource to educate and to transform the culture of residency training to incorporate these critical concepts into patient care. The curriculum will follow the Pediatric Public Health Residency Curriculum Guide developed by UCLA’s primary care residency training grant funded by HRSA. Emory pediatric faculty served on the Advisory Board for curriculum development and the pediatric residency program served as a control site during the pilot phase of the project.
For more information about the Public Health Curriculum, please contact Veda Johnson, MD at 404-778-1419.