Collaborative partnerships: A critical element in school health programs

Globally, children face incredible health, emotional, and social barriers t o well being. In the United States, 10.6 million children are uninsured. Th is indicates that many health-related problems are not diagnosed, treated, or monitored by professionals in traditional health care settings. Although American children spend nearly half of their waking hours in school, acces s to services is inconsistent. With properly trained health care providers, and administrators vested in children's welfare, school health programs ca n fill the health care gap. Successful school health programs have a common denominator-collaborative partner ships. This article reviews exemplary co llaborative school health partnerships, international, national and regiona l commitments to children and school health, common barriers to school heal th programs, and strategies to promote collaborative school health programs .