1. (1) The general assembly finds that:

   1. (a) Access to school-based primary health care for children and adolescents has been shown to increase the use of primary care, reduce the use of emergency rooms, and result in fewer hospitalizations;
   2. (b) High-risk students who use school-based health centers are more likely to stay in school and be available for instruction;
   3. (c) School-based health centers are effective at managing health conditions, such as asthma;
   4. (d) School-based health centers serve primarily low-income schools. The majority of students who attend schools with on-site health centers are from low-income families, are medically uninsured or underinsured, and qualify for free or reduced-cost school lunch.
   5. (e) For students from populations primarily served through school-based health centers who do not have access to school-based health care, increasing access to school-linked health-care services will help improve health outcomes for these medically underserved students and their families; and
   6. (f) School-based health centers and school-linked health-care services complement existing school health services and school nursing programs.

Source: L. 2006: Entire part added, p. 1595, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2024: IP(1) amended and (1)(e) and (1)(f) added, (SB 24-034), ch. 404, p. 2773, § 1, effective August 7.