Bright Spot: School Based Health Centers by Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center

Providing health and wellness services for young children in schools has strong impacts on our keiki’s personal and academic success. Early access to health services for all children allows for the early identification and management of issues, promoting a strong foundation for long-term health, consistent attendance, and comfortable learning. 

Hōkūpaʻa’s Navigation Council recently got to learn more about Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center’s (HICHC) School Based Health Centers (SBHCs). We heard from Cecilia Sakata, a proud Kealakehe alum who is now the Director of School Based Health Clinics.

The entrance to HICHC’s non-campus clinic in Kealakehe.

What is a School Based Health Center?

“Our School Based Health Centers (SBHCs) are a doctor’s office inside of your child’s school. The goal is to provide care that is in addition to the care received at their medical home/doctor’s office, not to replace that routine care.

This is a chance for children who don’t otherwise have access to care to receive it easily in the school setting. We also hope to reduce the time away from school and the Parent’s work by providing students with the convenience of a clinic at school.” - HICHC website.

They provide comprehensive primary care services, including:

• Well Child Exams

• Vaccinations

• Sport Physicals

• Acute Care Visits (sick visits, injuries, etc.)

• Chronic Care Visits (asthma, ADHD, allergy shots, etc.)

• Behavioral Health Care

• Dental Services

While this model is not unique to our island, HICHC takes the less common approach of starting with elementary aged students. Although it is more challenging to obtain parental permissions and schedule appointments for younger students, it is a proactive way to identify and address challenges early. It is also beneficial to share preventative and educational campaigns within schools when keiki are younger, so they can make better choices about their health and wellness early on.

The SBHCs first launched operations in 2022 at 3 West Hawaiʻi schools, and have since expanded to 6 sites servicing 9 schools islandwide. With the anticipated arrival of a mobile unit later this year, they expect to serve all the remaining 42 public and public charter schools on a rotating basis!  Similar efforts are underway on other islands, too.

Since all students are eligible patients so long as they have parent permission, this expansion should provide accessible healthcare to the vast majority of island students, including many who would otherwise face significant barriers to accessing timely and affordable care.

Current SBHC Schools

• Ha’aheo Elementary

• Honaunau Elementary

• Keonepoko Elementary

• Kealakehe Elementary

• Kealakehe Intermediate

• Kalanianaʻole Elementary

• Kalanianaʻole Intermediate

• Konawaena High School

• Konawaena Middle School

Schools as resource hubs

HICHC (West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center, at the time) was inspired to try the model in the community after hearing from then-Complex Area Superintendent Art Souza, who would later help to found Hōkūpaʻa. Art spoke passionately everywhere he went about the importance of bringing communities into schools, and schools into the community. School-based health centers are one aspect of this greater vision, a vision which has begun gaining a lot of ground in recent years.

With so many resources starting or resuming on campuses recently, Hōkūpaʻa began tracking them. We are so excited to see this trend of helpful services being made more accessible to students, staff, and families, by integrating into school campuses. In addition to SBHCs, there are Family Resource Centers, food distribution sites, food pantries, and Kokua Closets (free or low-cost “stores” with free clothing, hygiene products, and other household essentials).

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Mahalo

Cecilia Sakata and Richard Taaffe

We are grateful to HICHC CEO Richard Taaffe for setting up our talk with Cecilia Sakata, as well as for his ongoing contributions to Hōkūpaʻa’s Navigation Council. 

Learn more about HICHC and its many programs, including SBHCs, by visiting their website. We hope that you will help to spread the word about these programs, and consider supporting this valuable work through donations.