SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH SERVICES
Evaluation of School-Based Health Clinics—In response to the concern that adolescents in low-income, high-risk, and medically underserved communities in New York City lack adequate access to appropriate preventive and primary health care, the NYS Department of Health expanded its School Health Demonstration Program (SHDP) to nine high schools in 1985. This project was supported by a consortium of organizations consisting of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, the NYS Department of Health, the New York Community Trust, Morgan Guaranty Trust, and the Fund for the City of New York. In addition, the NYC Board of Education provided substantial in-kind support.
WRI evaluated this demonstration in two phases, both in cooperation with the New York City Board of Education’s Office of Educational Assessment. Phase I, conducted in 1987, consisted of a thorough review of the nine clinic sites, a description of student users and the services they received, and an assessment of patient satisfaction. Phase II, conducted in 1992 with Hunter College, Center for the Study of Family Policy and State Communities Aid Association, focused on the impact of the clinics on student attitudes and behaviors and specific health outcomes.
Evaluation of the School Health Services Demonstration Program—To ensure that children in low-income, high-risk communities receive necessary care, the New York State Department of Health tested the effectiveness of school-based clinics linked to health facilities and schools in nine projects in New York City, Buffalo, and Rochester. WRI’s evaluation in 1986 found that the school-based clinics significantly increased children’s access to primary and preventive health care and were able to handle most of the identified health problems. Further, when cases had to be referred to an outside professional or facility, the rates of compliance and resolution were much higher than in the pre-demonstration period.
Research Design for an Evaluation of New York City High School Clinics—In 1989, the New York City Board of Education asked WRI to determine the feasibility of evaluating high-school-based clinic performance and impact in areas not previously reviewed and to design a methodology to answer the Board’s research questions. WRI developed a research design for an evaluation and made recommendations for its implementation.