School-Based Health Centers
School-based health centers (SBHCs) offer important health care services to students in a dependable and secure setting. Over the last four decades, the expansion of such health centers has shifted from fundamental public health needs to a coherent model of care that addresses the special needs of children and youth. SBHCs typically serve a large population that faces health-care shortages or has restricted access to these social amenities. According to research, SBHCs have a positive impact on providing preventive treatment such as coping with chronic illnesses such as obesity and administering vaccines to children in the surrounding area. (Geierstanger 350)
Importance of SBHCs in Regina
Regina being the second largest city and serving as the capital of Saskatchewan has had a better share of the world social atrocities ranging from burglaries to organized crime. Occasionally, juvenile delinquents have been involved in petty theft such as shoplifting. Youth in this city with an aggravating increase in crime rates are prone to get involved in these acts and tend to drift away from regular emerging adulthood to gangs and underage substance abuse (knopf 116). Establishing a variety of school-based health centers in the ghettos of this city would help immensely the youth and mold them to take responsibility for their actions. Due to the complexity of the structure of the SBHCs, I would, first, begin by identifying renowned schooling facilities in the city to determine potential schools with suitable infrastructure for the location of the health center on the campus.
Linking Education and Health
School-based health centers would act as a model that strengthens the linkage between education systems in Regina and health to improve the personal and preventive care of the students. School educators and health providers have a mutual interest in assuring the health and learning ability of the students. Such students are at a crucial moment in life as they discover themselves it would be imperative to cater for their health to help them learn attentively. SHBCs face financial problems where it happens; there is minimal sponsorship of the different programs introduced by the clinic (Ramos S89). The procurement of expensive medication becomes an issue, and health providers have to substitute that medication with a readily available one to help a child suffering from a chronic illness.
Sponsors for SBHCs in Regina
To successfully realize my dream, I have to identify some sponsors to sustain the school-based health clinics that would be opened in the education centers in Regina. These centers can be operated by a local health care organization, for instance, a hospital or community health center. Others might be sponsored by the local health department where the department supplies required medical equipment, medication and pay up the staff working at the clinic (Knopf 116). Other sponsoring agencies include the school system, nonprofit organizations, mental health agencies, and universities. An arrangement can be established between a local health provider and a school where the provider visits the SBHC to conduct screening and have educational sessions with the students.
Primary Care in SBHCs
SBHCs serve as an entry point and a credible source of primary care to help children with minimal access to consistent care. They may also act as a backup medical plan for students having primary pediatric providers. Mental health services integrated into the education system would assist with early detection, referral, and treatment of students having emotional and behavioral changes. Early counseling interventions have to be introduced to such students and a follow-up of adherence to the prescribed medication by the clinician attached to the SBHC.
Benefits of SBHCs in North Central Regina
Coming up with school-based health centers in north central Regina would help the underserved populations where the youth would benefit from the decentralized medical care provided to them on the campus. An SBHC has many principles adopted from a medical home that includes accessibility, active cultural care of the students and comprehensive care where each student's issue is addressed with utmost precision (Brown 2510).
Overcoming Hindrances
However, most of these centers have not had the opportunity to serve as a full board medical home due to the various hindrances, for instance; there is minimal care after school; hours, vacations, and public holidays. Solution to this problem has been for the School-based health center to provide the link for medical services in the community. This is done where the SBHC sponsors a community hospital, clinic where the youth can access care through the medical home established. (Geierstanger 350)
Impact on Adolescents
Establishment of SBHCs would have a great impact on the adolescents especially those from humble backgrounds with little or no access to regular medical care in the suburbs of Regina. (Brown 2510) Adolescents have behavioral tendencies of putting themselves at risk that would affect their mortality. They need appropriate medical supervision to curb these risks. Awareness sessions have to be conducted in the centers to enlighten them on sensitive issues in society. The SBHCs also serve minority youth populations who have been neglected, leaving them to have suboptimal health, minimal access to medical and dental care. Due to the introduction of the SBHCs that are not influenced racially or ethnic segregation, they serve a significant role in ensuring each student is in a better form to excel in their academics.
Works Cited
Knopf, John A., et al. “School-based health centers to advance health equity: a Community Guide systematic review.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 51.1 (2016): 114-126.
(Ramos), Mary M., Rachel A. Sebastian, and Daisy V. Rosero. “Sexual Minority Youth Who Use New Mexico School-Based Health Centers Report on Substance Use and Quality of Care.” Journal of Adolescent Health 60.2 (2017): S89-S90.
Brown, Michael B., and Larry M. Bolen. “School-Based Health Centers.”Encyclopedia of Adolescence. Springer New York, 2011. 2506-2512.
Geierstanger, Sara Peterson, et al. “School‐Based Health Centers and Academic Performance: Research, Challenges, and Recommendations.”Journal of School Health 74.9 (2004): 347-352.
