World – Meet School-Based Services!

It’s a fact. Kids are more likely to learn and do better in school when they are healthy and attend class regularly. Yet when families don’t have health insurance, their children’s health can suffer. For these kids, health should be a bridge – not a barrier – to learning. That’s why HealthNet’s School-Based Services provided health care and health education to more than 3,100 students last year, through 22,000 visits at eight public and charter schools throughout Indianapolis.

Here are four things you should know about School-Based Services:

1. For many school children in Indy, visits to the nurse’s office are the only health care they will receive.
   School-based clinics like the ones HealthNet operates bring the doctor’s office to the school, so students avoid health-related absences and get support to succeed in the classroom.

   

   photo by Elizabeth Albert

2. School-based clinics are designed to meet the health care needs of students.
   School-based clinics are considered one of the most effective strategies for delivering high quality, comprehensive, and culturally-competent primary and preventive care to children and teens — a population that can be difficult to reach. By offering health and nutrition education, school clinics often are also on the front line in battling childhood obesity.
3. Being located where students spend most of their day enables School-Based Services to see and address factors that impact children’s well-being and academic achievement.
   Health providers outside a school setting may miss these factors. Jennifer and Monique’s stories are two amazing examples.
4. With your help, School-Based Services can do even more to improve the health and safety of students at school and at home.
   There are plenty of ways to get involved.
   
   • Make your child’s school healthier. Try some of these ideas!
   • Ask about the school nurse-to-student ratio at your child’s school. Start the conversation, and help Indy’s great schools become even better!
   • Consider a small gift to School-Based Services. A little bit can go a long way!
   • Raise awareness and tell your friends that you donated to this great program!  Together, we can help all school children in Indianapolis get a GREAT start to LIFE.

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Interested in School-Based Services and want to learn more?
Have ideas on how to make Indy schools healthier?
Comment below!
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