Integrated school health services

When integrated school health services are implemented according to an assessment of community needs and resources, and with adequate attention to quality assurance and evaluation, they may be a way to expand access to health care services for under-served populations. They can also become a coordinated extension of an ongoing medical care home. This approach may be an effective vehicle for integrating psychosocial care and education with medical care. Pediatricians practicing in public and private sectors should become actively involved in any community effort to develop an integrated school health services initiative. The well-designed integrated health services program, when coupled with comprehensive school health education, could significantly advance the state of health of the nation's children, youth, and families.