School-Based Health Centers serve high-risk children in urban and rural settings who are  medically underserved or underinsured. Located in schools, the centers provide health care on site, avoiding school absences and trips to the emergency room. Last year, Colorado students visited school-based health centers in excess of 71,890 times. Twenty-five thousand students received services.

School-based health centers currently operate in Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Jefferson County, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Commerce City, Summit County, Fort Collins, Greeley-Evans and Cortez. They are established through cooperative efforts between school districts and various health care providers, including hospitals, community health centers, mental health centers and medical professionals. These centers operate on a combination of grants from the federal government, community organizations, and Medicaid.

HB 06-1396 provides funding assistance for school-based health centers. The bill authorizes $500,000 in general fund in the first year. The program will be administered by the Colorado Department if Public Health and Environment’s Division of Prevention Services. The program will

• Provide grants for ongoing and expanded services at existing school-based health centers

• Provide grants for establishment of new centers

• Require grant recipients to report back to CDPHE on use of money

Please contact Governor Owens urging him to sign the bill into law.