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
Community Schools Funding from U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education has posted a grant opportunity for full-service community schools. A full-service community school is a public elementary school or secondary school that participates in a community-based effort to coordinate and integrate educational, developmental, family, health, and other comprehensive services through community-based organizations and public and private partnerships.
SBHC Day of Action
TODAY, June 4, is SBHC Day of Action! From the National School-Based Health Alliance: Today, we’re asking you to take just a moment from your busy Monday and reach out to your Members of Congress. As advocates of school-based health care, we all have one thing in common: an absolute sense of mission. Let’s capitalize…
WA SBHA receives 3-year Community Health Grant
The Washington School-Based Health Alliance is excited to announce that Kaiser Permanente has provided the Alliance with a 3-year Community Health grant to advance school-based health care in Washington state. The grant will primarily fund a full-time staff member dedicated to statewide leadership, advocacy, networking and technical assistance to support the sustainability and…