Background: Pediatric mental health issues are increasing while access to care is decreasing. This is reflected in a growing number of patients seeking emergency psychiatric evaluations (EPEs) in the emergency department (ED). Methods: This was a retrospective review of patients seeking EPE in the ED of a children's hospital between September and…

Background: Dental caries (cavities) experience is prevalent in US children, and national data show rates to be increasing among young children. Disparities are found for those in the low-income and non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latinx groups. Use of caries prevention, specifically dental sealants, is low, even among school-based programs.…

Background: Medicaid is a key policy lever for expanding access to mental health services and supports for children in schools, especially low-income and minority children. This study examines how Medicaid finances mental health promotion and prevention (tier 1), screening and selected interventions (tier 2), and treatment (tier 3) in schools,…

Background: School-based health centers (SBHCs) are ideal settings to address social needs of youth and families. Case managers can play a vital role in social care interventions. Methods: We piloted a program to incorporate a Case Manager into the care team of 1 SBHC serving 2 local schools with over 900 students and their surrounding…

BACKGROUND: The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) summer meal programs are designed to provide meals at no cost while school is out of session. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several regulatory waivers were enacted to facilitate meal distribution. The aim of this study was to assess the rates of meal distribution before and after these…

Background: Adolescence coincides with the adoption of health behaviors that schools are not necessarily equipped to properly address. Collaboration between schools and external health services such as public health could fill gaps in addressing student health. Methods: The current study uses student- and school-level survey data from 59…

Background: Care coordination for chronic health conditions is critical to academic success, yet concrete strategies on its operationalization in schools are not well reported in the literature. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is one such condition that requires a team-based approach to care coordination. The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper…

Background: School-based health centers (SBHCs) have the capability to overcome youth barriers to care. Virtual care programs (VCP) facilitate connection between school nurse and off-site SBHC providers and can increase the reach of SBHCs. This project aimed to examine Denver Public School nurses' perspectives of a pilot VCP. Methods: Thirteen…

Background: Children with asthma should have immediate access to rescue medication. Yet, <15% of children have access to this life-saving drug while at school. Methods: A search was conducted in the all states database of Westlaw to identify which the US states, territories, and the District of Columbia have a law for K-12 schools. Terms…

Background: In 2012, Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Department of Public Health partnered together to create the Chicago School-Based Vision Program (CSBVP). This ongoing, city-wide program provides school-based vision services (eye examinations, eyeglasses provision, and eye care referrals) to students with limited access. Methods:…

Background: We examined trends in mental health service utilization before, during, and in the immediate return to in-person learning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Retrospective chart review was assessed for changes in odds of any visit being a mental health encounter from five school-based health centers from the 2018-2019 to the…

Background: Health care utilization can vary by age group, geographic location, and socioeconomic status (SES). A paucity of information exists regarding the availability and utilization of medical care by injured scholastic athletes. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare injuries and health care service utilization by school SES…

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routine school operations, including school health programs. This study aims to describe the pandemic's impact on school health service delivery from the perspective of Maryland school health partners. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with health service representatives from public…

Background: Determination of adequate school nurse staffing is a complex process. School nurse-to-student ratios and the health services school nurses provide to students should be considered. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of North Carolina school nurse-to-student ratios and school nurse health services on the health and…

Children require accessible, affordable health care to support health and education outcomes. Health care access is affected by children's social determinants of health. School-based health centers (SBHC) bypass larger social structures and social determinants of health, providing accessible health care to children. New SBHC development should…