Capps, Dingell: Republican Effort to Defund School-Based Health Clinics Puts the Health of Our Kids At Risk

Press Release

Today, Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA23) and Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI15) slammed an effort by House Republicans to repeal funding for the expansion of school-based health centers (H.R. 1214) made available under the Affordable Care Act and set the record straight on the false arguments made by Republicans in today's Health subcommittee markup of the Energy and Commerce committee.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act included a one-time provision of $200 million dollars for a competitive federal grant program for the equipment, renovation, and construction of school-based health centers. The health care reform law marks the first time in which these centers have been specifically authorized to receive federal funding. Over 350 centers in 46 states across the country have applied to HHS for this funding, which is expected to be announced early this summer. The application deadline closed in December.

"School-based health centers are often the sole source of primary health care for our children. Our school kids need access to the care school-based health centers provide and they need it now, to keep them healthy and to help make sure they are ready to learn. Expanding the number and reach of these centers is a win-win for our children and workers, and proposing to eliminate this funding is putting politics over the health of our kids," said Capps.

"School-based health centers offer a critical service to our communities," said Dingell. "Research has shown that school-based health centers provide a cost-effective way to offer health services -- lowering inappropriate emergency room use, hospitalizations, and ultimately lowering Medicaid costs. If my colleagues want to deny centers in their districts from accessing these dollars, they not only will be forfeiting potential construction jobs and business for local health suppliers, but they will also be putting at risk the health of the children in their community."

"School-based health centers are a critical component of our nation's health care safety net for children and adolescents. These funds will not only help expand access for this population, it will boost local economies, provide jobs, and reduce medical costs. Today's markup was heavy on political grandstanding and light on talk of what really matters: the health and wellbeing of vulnerable children and adolescents," said Linda Juszczak, Executive Director of the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care.

School-based health centers provide preventive care and primary health care services to approximately 2 million students in the United States. There are nearly 2,000 school-based health centers in the United States and funding for school-based health centers has long enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress. State budget cuts are hindering many vital health and education services, and school-based health centers are no exception. All too often, these centers are the only access to health care for children.

School-based health centers are cost effective, providing an ideal environment to administer preventive health care to children. Research backs up these claims. For example, a study found that for children in Cincinnati enrolled in schools with a school-based health center, the cost of hospitalizations for those children decreased by 85%, or nearly $1,000 per child.

School-Based health centers help ensure our kids are ready to learn. Children cannot perform to the best of their abilities in the classroom if they do not have access to healthcare. Research also backs up the importance of these centers, as they have been shown to reduce obstacles to learning by helping to reduce student absences and identify students at risk for health and behavioral problems.

The construction of school-based health centers will create economic activity in the local communities receiving the funding. School-based health centers have already applied for the funding and they are ready to start these construction projects and put people to work right away. This funding could mean jobs in 46 states.

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