History of The Program
The first school-based health center in Maryland opened in Baltimore City in 1985. Since then, the School-Based Health Center Program has expanded rapidly, delivering comprehensive, coordinated, high-quality health care to students in 16 jurisdictions across the state. Maryland’s school-based health centers provide a wide variety of services, including primary care, sick visits, sports physicals, behavioral and mental health services, oral health services, and care coordination. The school-based health centers work in partnership with each patient’s primary care doctor or pediatrician to ensure they receive the best care possible. In 2021, the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future expanded grant funding available for school-based health centers, allowing the Program to expand to additional sites across the state. The School-Based Health Center Program is run by the Maryland Department of Health, Bureau of Maternal and Child Health.
Mission
The mission of the SBHCs is to promote and improve the health and safety of all Maryland residents through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement.
Vision
The vision of the Maryland School-Based Health Center Program is that all Maryland students will succeed socially, emotionally and academically to foster lifelong health and wellness. School-based health centers contribute to this vision by promoting health and educational equity through the provision of health care that is accessible, collaborative, high-quality, and based on earned trust.
Values
The SBHC Program in Maryland:
- Values the collaboration between community partners, education, health care, and public health systems to ensure health care and racial equity.
- Values high quality, accessible, and affordable health care for students
- Values responsiveness to specific community needs and public health imperatives.
- Values their complementary role to support the required school health services programs and are offered to all students enrolled in the school.
- Hires staff who value their cooperative work within the school community to become an integral part of the school to maximize classroom attendance and readiness to learn.
Our Partners
Program Goals and Strategic Priorities
Maryland SBHC Program Goals and Strategic Priorities 2022 - 2026
