ICSHC Definition

Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers (ICSHC)


In Illinois, school health centers are:

  • Located where children and youth spend most of their time

  • Provide services when school is open

  • Facilitate after-hours care

  • Serve students regardless of their ability to pay

  • Require parental consent for students to receive services

  • Provide referrals to specialty care or other resources located in the community

  • Are a state-certified model of care and staffed by a team of qualified providers (doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers, psychologists and health educators

Access:

School health centers improve students’ access to quality health care services. Students can receive medical, mental health, dental and health education services on-site without leaving school property, or for school-linked health centers, receive these services in close proximity of the school. School health centers bring health care to schools in order to help students succeed.

 

Support:

School health centers are planned partnerships among schools, communities, providers, parents and students. Partners engage in the continuous dialogue to meet the health needs of the community’s children and adolescents.


School health centers support the:

STUDENT:

  • Provide medical, mental health, dental and health education services

  • Provide confidential, culturally sensitive and youth friendly services

  • Promote health decision-making

  • Help students stay in school



PARENT:

  • Provide services their children need such as mental health, health education and treatment for acute and chronic diseases

  • Reduce lost work time

  • Promote parental engagement in health care

  • Provide family assistance for benefits enrollment and other supportive services such as state health insurance programs, food stamps and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)



SCHOOL:

  • Integrate health and education to address barriers to learning and promote academic success

  • Collaborate with school personnel to ensure that students are healthy and ready to learn

  • Participate in the school’s crisis intervention team to provide assistance in times of school crises and community disasters

  • Promote health behaviors throughout the school



COMMUNITY:

  • Link the students and families to community resources

  • Engage the community in health promotion activities

  • Respect family values and diversity within the community

  • Involve the community in improving the health and students and families