The West Virginia pilot project has received national attention for developing models that cost-effectively bring services to smaller rural schools. Health center use is soaring at most sites. School-based health centers address health care needs of all students who have parental consent . The health centers are not only used by the uninsured and those receiving Medicaid, but those students covered by private insurance. School-based health centers are clearly meeting both the financial and the physical access problems which students and their parents face.
Students use the health centers for various types of care .
One in six visits during the previous school year was for some type of physical, immunizations, or health maintenance procedure. In order to meet the various needs of adolescents, school-based health centers should continue to provide a range of services including preventive and acute medical care, counseling, health education, and dental care. School-based health centers reduce the fragmentation of care by bringing services to the school and providing referrals and case coordination for other community services. Health centers are addressing the need for better coordinated services, demonstrating that families, schools, and health professionals can work closely together to ensure the health of children. Finally, in countless interviews, students and teachers have been enthusiastic in their praise for school-based health centers .