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Frequently Asked Questions about School-Based Health Centers

Where are Oakland's school-based health centers located?

How do school-based health centers benefit students and the school communities they serve?

What services do school-based health centers provide?

Who staffs the School-Based Health Centers?

Can any student access services through the School-Based Health Centers?

Do School-Based Health Centers serve families?

How are School-Based Health Centers funded?

My school does not have a School-Based Health Center. How can we access health services for our students?

How can I find out more about Oakland’s School-Based Health Centers?

Where are Oakland’s school-based health centers located?

There are currently 16 school-based health centers located on or next to OUSD campuses. These sites include:

• Bret Harte Middle School -  3700 Coolidge Avenue, Oakland, CA 94602
• Castlemont High School Campus - 8711 MacArthur Blvd., Suite A, Oakland, CA 94605
• Elmhurst Campus – 1800 98^th Avenue, Oakland, CA 94603
• Fremont Campus - 4610 Foothill Blvd, Oakland, CA 94601
• Frick Middle School - 2845 64^th Avenue, Oakland, CA 94605
• Havenscourt Campus - 1390 66^th Avenue, Oakland, CA 94621
• Hawthorne Campus - 1700 28^th Avenue, Oakland, CA 94601
• La Escuelita Education Complex - 1050 2nd Avenue, Oakland, CA 94606
• Madison Middle School - 400 Capistrano Drive, Oakland, CA 94603
• McClymonds High School Campus – 2607 Myrtle Street, Oakland, CA 94607
• Oakland High School - 1023 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94610
• Oakland Technical High School - 4351 Broadway Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611
• Roosevelt Middle School - 1926 19^th Avenue, Oakland, CA 94606
• Skyline High School - 12250 Skyline Blvd., Oakland, CA 94619
• United for Success/Life Campus - 2101 35^th Avenue, Oakland, CA 94601
• West Oakland Middle School - 991 14^th Street, Oakland, CA 94607

• By helping students stay in school when they would otherwise have to leave campus to receive needed care
• By helping to improve students’ academic achievement by taking care of health and mental health needs that can make learning difficult
• By serving students who otherwise might not receive care for reasons like lack of transportation or insurance
• By bringing in more service providers to deliver services to students
• By supporting school staff through wellness events, education on student health, and technical assistance (like classroom guest speakers)

What services do school-based health centers provide?

Services and programs differ by site and may include:

• Case management and mental health counseling
• Physical exams/sports physicals
• First aid and triage
• Immunizations/vaccinations
• Dental screenings and treatment
• Diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions
• STD screening and treatment
• Health education related to nutrition/physical fitness, puberty, sexual health, etc.
• Youth development programs including peer health education, student research teams and youth advisory boards
• Professional development for school staff
• Outreach to youth and their families
• Community-wide health promotion events and activities
• Health insurance enrollment
• Referrals to health and social service providers on- and off-site

Who staffs the School-Based Health Centers?

School-Based Health Centers are staffed by a mix of professionals that may include a school health center coordinator and school nurse (District employees); nurse practitioners, physicians, medical assistants, health educators, case managers, mental health counselors, and/or substance abuse counselors, receptionist and insurance enrollment specialist (usually staff of a partner agency or hospital).

Any student at the school site will be able to walk in for available services and will not be turned away, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.

Any school staff member or parent will be able to refer students for services; any student will also be able to self-refer.

Some school-based health centers also provide services for students from other schools, please check the list of health centers and the populations served.

Funding sources include revenue from billing federal, state, and county programs for services and local funding allocations from the city, county, and/or school district. The school usually provides in-kind support that can include utilities, space, custodial services, and/or staffing. The agencies that operate Oakland’s School-Based Health Centers raise additional grant funding to sustain and expand programming.

While it is not feasible to build and sustain a School-Based Health Center at every school, the Family, Schools, and Community Partnerships Department is currently conducting a District-wide assessment of unmet need for health services in order to identify partnerships and systems to enable all OUSD schools to connect students and families to needed medical care. A UC Berkeley graduate student with the Goldman School of Public Policy is conducting the needs assessment, cataloging resources that the District can leverage, and evaluating strategies the District can implement to improve access to health services. Analysis of public health statistics, interviews with key stakeholders and a scan of best practices will also inform the assessment.

If you need support locating health services for a student, please contact Health Services at (510) 874-3750.

For more information, please contact Eia Gardner, OUSD Health Access Program Manager, at 510-872-8728 or eia.gardner@ousd.org.