School-based health centers (SBHCs) are used to provide accessible, effective, and integrated prevention and intervention support to students and their families.
The range of services that SBHCs provide can be quite broad, including physical health screenings, oral health, health education, and behavioral health services.
This project identified the range of behavioral health services offered in both designated and non-designated SBHCs to determine the characteristics of this particular behavioral health workforce, characteristics of the schools and populations served, the types of behavioral health services offered, barriers to service delivery, and funding sources.
Findings indicate that SBHCs fill a critical role in providing a range of behavioral health services for students of all ages. Regardless of the setting, a staffing structure that incorporates behavioral health providers strengthens the center and increases the value-add of including preventative mental health and substance use supports.