PLEASE NOTE: YAP-P observes SC state holidays. Our office, including our consultation line, will be closed December 24th-26th, 2024 as well as January 1st, 2024.
The Youth Access to Psychiatry’s School-Based Health Center initiative connects school-based health center’s primary care providers to psychiatric consult services and a host of training and educational resources at no cost. This integrated care model enhances mental and behavioral health support for South Carolina’s youth.
SBHCs are a critical resource for advancing health equity among children and adolescents who face barriers to accessing care due to systemic inequities, income disparities, or geographic challenges. Schools and community healthcare organizations form partnerships and their staffs collaborate to open and sustain SBHCs. By offering care directly within schools, SBHCs ensure that youth receive comprehensive health care where they spend most of their time.
Providing health care in school-based settings overcomes obstacles to access such as transportation, financial barriers, and time constraints. When health services are funded by grants and public dollars, healthcare is equitably accessible to all children and adolescents. Many school-based health centers serve Title I schools and this works to improve healthcare access to low-resourced youth.
increase in youth depression and anxiety rates between 2016 and 2020
Connecting youth and families to health services directly through their schools promotes preventative care and uptake of health behaviors. By linking youth directly to health care through the places they spend the majority of their time, school-based health centers are well suited to be strong partners of YAP-P due to shared goals of health equity and the use of care that is evidence-based and patient-centered.
Our team conducted a state-wide inventory of School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) in 2024 to inform the development of an interactive resource map. The locations and information of these SBHCs are displayed on the map linked below, alongside BHDD Office of Mental Health Mental Health Centers and Medicaid accepting Psychiatrists. Additionally, this interactive map can be used to examine the distribution of these healthcare organizations and providers by county per poverty levels, highlighting potential geographic regions in need of resources. Further, this map may be used to support the identification of local school-based health or mental health providers for youth in need of support.
Geolocate all SBHCs across SC: At the inception of this initiative in 2023, YAP-P sought to identify SBHCs across South Carolina, with an emphasis on identifying which sites were best suited for integrated psychiatric services. We found that over 50% of SC districts have SBHCs located within at least one school.
Administer a Statewide Needs and Resources Assessment of SBHCs: In September of 2023, YAP-P conducted a statewide needs assessment with SBHCs. Through collaboration with state nurse consultants, district lead nurses, and other education partners, YAP-P initially identified 199 SBHCs/programs across 40% of South Carolina counties, and data was collected from 37 respondents representing 40 sites and 106 schools statewide. See below for a glimpse of what we learned!
Provide both in-person and telehealth services
Continue to provide services in the summer
Accept Medicaid
Share data with the school at least annually
Partnership with Glasscho SBHCs: In early 2024, YAP-P established a formal partnership with Beaufort Jasper-Hampton Comprehensive Health Services, Inc., to pilot this initiative. Glasscho’s Hope Wellness SBHCs are the first in which YAP-P is integrating psychiatric services. Glasscho providers have access to ongoing consultation and referral support through YAP-P’s consult line, along with curated training and educational resources. To ensure the program addresses local needs, YAP-P and Glasscho teams are engaged in a collaborative planning process to identify the specific needs of healthcare providers, youth, and families in Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton counties.
Stay tuned for more updates on YAP-P’s School-Based Health Center initiative!
We have compiled statewide and national educational resources tailored to SBHC providers and staff covering a range of topics relevant for care in a school setting.
If you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions regarding the activities of this initiative, please contact:
Grace Lambert, PMP, Project Director at BHDD Office of Mental Health. Email: grace.lambert@scdmh.org
YAP-P is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $445,000 with 20% financed by BHDD Office of Mental Health. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
The Youth Access to Psychiatry Program (YAP-P) includes a provider-to-provider psychiatric consultation line, clinical trainings and behavioral health resources available to pediatric primary care providers through the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (BHDD) Office of Mental Health.
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YAP-P is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $445,000 with 20% financed by BHDD Office of Mental Health. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
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