SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CLINICS - REMAINING VIABLE IN A CHANGING HEALTH-CARE-DELIVERY SYSTEM

Adolescents are often vulnerable to particular health risks and face m ultiple barriers to accessing health care. School-based clinics and sc hool-linked services represent an alternative model of care that has r esponded to the unique health issues of adolescents by offering preven tive, comprehensive services, including mental health and other sensit ive services. The current restructuring of the American health care de livery system presents a serious challenge to the continued existence of these services, which must link successfully with managed care orga nizations and adapt to significant changes in federal and state fundin g streams to remain viable. The continued success of school-based heal th services in improving adolescent health will largely depend on how well they can capitalize on their strategic position to reach adolesce nts, respond to their health needs, and reduce barriers to care, and h ow effectively they can integrate themselves into a rapidly evolving U S health care delivery system.