About the Conference Hosts

The Bridges Out of Poverty Conference will benefit the tow state-wide associations for School-based health centers (SBHCs) in Kentucky and Ohio. SBHCs are partnerships created by schools and community health organizations to provide on-site medical, oral, and mental health services that promote the health and educational success of school-aged children and adolescents. SBHCs work cooperatively with school personnel, healthcare providers, parents, students, and the community. They are predominately located in schools where a majority of children are eligible for free or reduced lunch, in schools with high numbers of uninsured children or children with Medicaid, and in schools in regions with limited access to health providers. All children have access to comprehensive health services, regardless of ability to pay.

Kentucky School-Based Health Network

The Kentucky School-Based Health Network was formed to promote SBHCs in Kentucky. An estimated 80,000 children in Kentucky are uninsured. In the 2006–2007 school year, there were 16 programs in Kentucky providing school-based primary care services at approximately 35 schools serving over 23,000 children. The Network operates as a primary division of Kentucky Child Now! (KCN!), an organization dedicated to the health and success of Kentucky’s children and youth. For more information, visit http://www.kychildnow.org/schoolHealthCenters/.

Ohio School-Based Health Care Association

The Ohio School-Based Health Care Association (OSBHCA) is an organization committed to improving the health and well-being of Ohio’s children and adolescents within the context of their families through promotion of locally tailored school-based health care. For the 2006–2007 school year, there were 26 SBHCs in Ohio. Specifically OSBHCA:

For more information, visit http://www.osbhca.org/.