School Health Centers Dan Butin Thomas Jefferson Center for Educational Design University of Virginia July 2000 chool health centers are an important resource for the adequate care, support, and development of a student's overall health. While most health centers concentrate on diagnostic and preventative care, their influence is often far greater. School health centers are thus an integral component in a school's mission to foster academic achievement. The first school nurse was employed in 1902 by the New York City public schools.
Today there are multiple ways to provide health care through the school system.
School health centers often serve as the primary provider of adequate health care for school-aged youth in urban and rural areas. Twenty-five percent of today's children live in poverty, substantially lowering their access to quality health care and placing them at a greater health risk. School-linked health centers are usually located off site and have provider agencies that contract with the school system for health services. Community-based health centers are administered by community agencies and are used as sources of referral by school personnel. Schools often use a combination of these methods in providing health care to students.