February is National School-Based Health Center Month. This month, health and education professionals celebrate a groundbreaking type of healthcare clinic we have right here in Northcentral Montana, School-Based Health Centers, or SBHCs. Join us as we take a moment this month to reflect on what an SBHC is, why they are beneficial to communities, and their presence right here in Great Falls and Vaughn!
SBHCs are primary care sites co-located with school facilities that serve students from kindergartners to seniors in high school. These clinics function similarly to any other primary care facility. They can offer anything from medical checkups by a primary care provider, to counseling with licensed therapists, to yearly dental appointments. However, unlike many other medical facilities, SBHCs focus on locating themselves in the area where their patients already are. Rather than asking patients to come to them, they come to their patients.
These clinics can look very different from clinic to clinic. Some SBHCs operate entirely within a school facility, where students can stop by, similar to a nurse's office. At other schools, an SBHC may be a telehealth service where providers call into the school to have appointments with students, even if they may be far away from the school. Finally, some SBHCs may be mobile clinics that can travel to various schools and provide medical, behavioral, dental, and other health services at the school. No matter what a school-based health center looks like, they are all focused on bringing healthcare services to students, staff, families, and community members who might not otherwise have access to them.
For many families scheduling a medical appointment can be a challenge. Between finding the time off work to finding ways to transport children to appointments across town, the barriers quickly add up for many students and their families. Some families are forced to delay preventative services because of these barriers. SBHCs solve this problem by bringing these services to families rather than asking families to travel to them. Students can go to the clinic after class without their parents needing to leave work. This increased accessibility leads to a 15% increase in immunizations and a 12% increase in recommended preventative screenings. 
SBHCs also have a positive impact on students' academic performance. Students can get preventative treatment earlier, so they are less likely to need to take sick days, and parents don't have to take students out of class for hours to visit the doctor. One study showed that schools with an SBHC have a 50% lower absence rate. SBHCs that provide behavioral health services also increase students' academic performance. Some studies show that schools with Behavioral Health services through an SBHC see an 85% decline in school discipline referrals.
In addition to increasing the students' health, other family members also benefit from School-Based Health Centers. Many SBHCs treat children and adults, meaning those who live near an SBHC and who are not students can still go to the dentist, doctor, and more without needing to travel.
Alluvion Health operates three school-based medical clinics and provides school-based behavioral health services at 15 schools across North Central Montana. Alluvion Health's school-based medical clinics are located at Longfellow Elementary (1101 7th Ave S, Great Falls, Montana), Paris Gibson Education Center (2400 Central Ave Great Falls, MT), and Vaughn Public School (480 Central Ave Vaughn, MT). Alluvion Health's School-Based medical clinics are available to both students and the public, although an appointment is necessary for the general public.
In addition to the medical clinics, Alluvion Health offers behavioral health services at school to students at CM Russel High School, Whittier Elementary, Centerville Public Schools, and more. Behavioral Health School-Based services are only available for students. To learn more about Alluvion Health's School-Based Services, visit www.alluvionhealth.org/school-based-health/ or make an appointment at one of the medical school-based clinics today by calling 406.454.6973.
Information taken from “Realizing the Potential of School-Based Health Centers: A Research Brief and Implementation” link and link
Three Alluvion Health School-Based Health Centers have earned the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC)...
On January 20th, Alluvion Health closed on the purchase of the former Roosevelt Elementary School...
Communication is a fundamental part of our daily lives. We use it to express our thoughts,...
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental condition that affects communication,...
Maintaining good dental health is essential for overall well-being, but did you know that the food...
Knowing what to get your child is a struggle for any parent, and this is no less true for parents...