Collaborative partnerships: A critical element in school health programs

Globally, children face incredible health, emotional, and social barriers to well being. In the United States, 10.6 million children are uninsured. This indicates that many health-related problems are not diagnosed, treated, or monitored by professionals in traditional health care settings. Although American children spend nearly half of their waking hours in school, access to services is inconsistent. With properly trained health care providers, and administrators vested in children's welfare, school health programs can fill the health care gap. Successful school health programs have a common denominator - collaborative partnerships. This article reviews exemplary collaborative school health partnerships, international, national and regional commitments to children and school health, common barriers to school health programs, and strategies to promote collaborative school health programs.