School-based health centers have been recognized as an important strategy f
or improving access to health care for children. In addition, school-based
health services help schools promote higher levels of academic performance
by keeping children in school healthy and ready to learn. Lessons from more
recent evaluations point to the need to develop programs that more compreh
ensively address the needs of children. The Sandtown-Winchester school-base
d health center program, developed by the University of Maryland School of
Nursing, has been designed as part of a comprehensive neighborhood transfor
mation initiative and holds the promise of improving the outcomes for child
ren and families in this impoverished community.