The Washington School-Based Health Alliance is part of a network of organizations and communities – with youth at the heart.
The Washington School-Based Health Alliance (WA SBHA) is a nonprofit organization striving for a racially just and inclusive society where all children, regardless of background, have the opportunity to thrive. By addressing inequities in health and education, we work toward a future where every child succeeds.
Our mission is to advocate for and advance school-based health care in collaboration with communities and partners statewide. By fostering equity, we aim to remove barriers to essential care and academic achievement for children and youth.
The WA SBHA is the only statewide organization representing and advocating for SBHCs. We unite diverse partners in healthcare and education to champion school-based healthcare and to empower professionals, communities, and schools to create and sustain the quality health services youth deserve.
What is a School Based Health Center? (SBHC)
An SBHC is a healthcare center located in or near a school that provides youth with medical, behavioral health, and other services, such as dental care. These centers meet the healthcare needs of a diverse population of students directly on campus.
SBHC Services
Each SBHC is unique, like the communities they serve. Primary medical care and behavioral health services are provided based on needs and resources. Common services include sports physicals, vaccines, well-child checkups, mental health counseling, and other visits commonly found in primary care offices.
Primary Medical Care
Care may include annual physicals, immunizations, sport physicals; treatment of illness, injury, or chronic illness; lab services, referrals, and more.
Behavioral Health
This care often includes mental health counseling, assessments, additional support service referrals, peer-to-peer support, quiet spaces and more.
Additional Support
SBHCs provide a variety of supports and services like school-wide health education and community public-health outreach.
Recent Updates
Save The Date: June 23-26, 2019 annual SBHA convention in Washington, DC
Join us in Washington, DC on June 23-26, 2019 for next year’s annual convention as we inspire the school-based health care field to redefine health for kids and teens. As the premier national gathering for our field, the convention is a fantastic opportunity to connect with hundreds of fellow school-based health care professionals…
Vashon SBHC surpasses first year goals
In its first year of operations, Neighborcare Health’s Vashon SBHC served about one-third of the students in the Vashon Island School District. With an initial target to serve 350 students, the SBHC instead served more than 470 students from all three schools with nearly 1,300 medical visits, 1,400 mental health visits and 90…