North Carolina Student Community Health Alliance (NCSCHA)

Advocacy

Over the last decade, school-based and school-linked health centers and programs have emerged as a powerful tool in the delivery of health care and education to children and adolescents. Many members of the North Carolina School Community Health Alliance are involved in state and federal health and education policy discussions. The Alliance focuses its efforts on increasing access to healthcare, providing critical health educational and support services for children and families, improving the quality of care and education delivered, and ensuring stable funding for centers and programs.

To accomplish these goals, NCSCHA educates local, state, and federal policymakers and other key stakeholders on the unique needs of children and adolescents. Alliance members and the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care are working now with Congressional offices to create a federal authorization that will provide grants to financially support school health centers.

Through the efforts of the NCSCHA, school-based and school-linked health centers are recognized as part of the Safety Net of community providers who offer services to low income people, including those without insurance or with other barriers to health care. The Alliance supports ongoing efforts to provide funding sources for the entire safety net system.

The Alliance encourages individuals and organizations committed to serving the needs of children, adolescents, and families to meet with their elected officials and share with them the work centers are doing to improve the lives of North Carolina’s children.