Parent  Questions

School Questions

Health Care Questions

Parent Questions - back to top

Do parents favor SBHCs?

Yes. Parents appreciate SBHCs because:

• SBHC services help their child to stay healthy and in school. Services can include those for physical, behavioral (mental health and substance abuse), and dental health.
• Parents miss less work. Without a SBHC, when a child is sick, the parent must miss work to take the child out of school and be seen at the nearest health care facility. For families that rely on an hourly wage, this day of missed work can mean not getting a meal on the table that night.
• SBHC services are provided free, whether or not the student has insurance and regardless of ability to pay. 
• SBHCs make schools more prepared for emergencies. Parents feel more secure knowing that if a national or other emergency occurred during school hours, trained medical practitioners are already be on hand at the school.
• SBHCs can partner with schools in developing and implementing the schools’ crisis response plan, often making those plans stronger.
• SBHC staff can enhance the school’s health education program.

No. Statewide, parents retain the authority to sign consent forms regarding whether their child can be seen at the SBHC for standard services (such as treatment for colds, sports injuries, or asthma). If medication is prescribed, the child’s parent and primary care doctor are typically notified. Each local school board decides what confidential services will be provided (e.g., reproductive services and mental health care). Because SBHCs take the approach that parents and children should work together to resolve health problems, the staff promotes strong family communication. 

No. Many SBHCs in New Mexico do not provide reproductive services. Among those that do, the services are typically used by students who are already sexually active.

There is no evidence suggesting that providing information about reproductive services encourages teens to have sex.  By contrast, research suggests that access to this type of information delays the onset of sexual activity. 

School Questions back to top

Shouldn't schools just focus on education?

Schools cannot do their job of educating students if they are not in school. Research shows that students who use SBHCs are less likely to be absent and more likely to be promoted or graduate than their peers who do not. Furthermore, students without SBHCs are less likely to get medical care, so they often come to school sick, spread illnesses to their teachers and peers, and thus distract others from learning.    

No. SBHCs do not and will not replace school nurses or counselors. Rather, they complement services already being provided by placing additional resources in the schools. In some cases, school nurses and counselors work independently of the SBHC. Other schools choose to incorporate them into their new SBHC. Either way, school nurses and counselors are vitally important to comprehensive health services for students.

Do health centers take money away from schools?

SBHCs get their funding from many different sources, including the state, private grants, and insurance billing. Schools provide in-kind support to their health centers, such as space, utilities, and custodial services. In addition, some school districts pitch in modest funding, recognizing that students are more successful when they are physically and mentally healthy.

Health Care Questions back to top

Do SBHCs take patients away from local providers?

No. SBHCs collaborate with and make referrals to community medical, behavioral, and oral health providers. SBHCs are another entry point for children who may not otherwise be able or willing to seek help outside the school. While primary care providers generally see children under the age of 13 relatively often, they see adolescents less frequently. This group, at risk for a variety of health-related problems, typically does not access available health care resources. For these adolescents, SBHCs serve as an important entry point into the health care system. 

Yes. All medical providers at SBHCs must be licensed, and the services they provide are limited to their type of licensure. Often, SBHC providers have additional skills and training in providing services to adolescents.