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| Date: |
5/14/2010 |
| Subject: |
Victory for SBHCs in Health Reform |
| Announcement: |
On March 21, 2010, the House voted 219 to 212 to pass the Senate’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (HR 3590). The Senate bill includes two important provisions for school-based health centers (SBHCs): language authorizing a federal SBHC grant program, and an emergency appropriation that would provide $200 million for SBHCs over four years.
The following is a statement by Linda Jusczcak, Executive Director of the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care (NASBHC):
“Today’s historic vote marks an unprecedented victory for school-based health centers. On behalf of the 2,000 school-based health centers across the country, we congratulate President Obama, his Administration, and Congress for this great success.
“School-based health centers ensure that more than 1 million children and adolescents across the country gain access to high quality, comprehensive medical care, mental health services, preventive care, social services, and youth development. These services are provided without concern for students’ ability to pay and in a location that meets children and adolescents where they are: at school.
“Now, thanks to this legislation and the path it creates towards future reform, fewer school-based health centers will be forced to shutter their doors because of state budget cuts, and more communities that desire to open a health clinic at their school will have the critical resources to do so.
“We’re proud of the passionate and tireless efforts school-based health center staff, advocates, and students have put into building support for this historic legislation—including creating virtual tours of their clinics, writing hundreds of letters, making thousands of phone calls, and traveling to visit their Members of Congress. We look forward to supporting other health care reform-related provisions through the reconciliation process.”
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