School Based Health Centers in Peril

By Eve Abrams

New Orleans, Louisiana – In nearly 2000 School Based Health Centers across the country and 64 in Louisiana, children are getting everything from routine physicals to emergency medical treatment without ever leaving school. When the 2005 flooding destroyed several New Orleans hospitals, School Based Health Centers, along with other neighborhood clinics, stepped in to provide primary and mental health care for New Orleans' underserved, including kids. But as Federal funding for the School Based Health Centers expires, these Health Centers are forced to close their doors or dramatically reduce services. Eve Abrams reports.