Save School-Based Health Clinics

February 02, 2007 | Written By: Healthy Schools Campaign

by Rochelle Davis, HSC Executive Director

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has proposed massive cuts in Cook County’s health care system, which will result in cuts to seven school-based clinics.

For more than 14 years, school-based health centers have been an important vehicle for providing health care to Chicago public school students. Common sense, backed up by research, says that prevention is an important part of any health care system — both from the perspective of promoting health and also for controlling health care costs. 

School-based health clinics focus on prevention, and not only in the form of annual check-up and immunizations. They are also important places for educating students about healthy lifestyles and managing chronic conditions.

With the high rates among Chicago public school students of both asthma and obesity, school-based health centers are particularly vital, and we urge the County Board to maintain these important programs.