HB 1376 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in school health services, providing for school-based health centers.

PRINTER'S NO.     1573

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1376
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY KHAN, ISAACSON, SCHLOSSBERG, KOSIEROWSKI, CEPEDA-
        FREYTIZ, WAXMAN, RABB, NEILSON, SANCHEZ, PIELLI, HILL-EVANS,
        GIRAL, DONAHUE, HOHENSTEIN, FREEMAN, GREEN, KENYATTA, DALEY,
        YOUNG, WEBSTER, MAYES AND PARKER, MAY 2, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, MAY 2, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
 2      act relating to the public school system, including certain
 3      provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
 4      schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
 5      laws relating thereto," in school health services, providing
 6      for school-based health centers.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10   as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11   section to read:
12      Section 1402.1.    School-Based Health Centers.--(a)   A school-
13   based health center shall comply with the following standards:
14      (1)    Upon availability of funding by the General Assembly, a
15   school-based health center:
16      (i)    Shall be open and staffed during the regular hours of
17   the school district facility in which the school-based health
18   center is located or which is near the school-based health
19   center.
 1      (ii)    May not turn away a student due to an inability to pay.
 2      (iii)     May not decline care to a student due to insurance
 3   status, health status or existence of a current primary health
 4   care provider of a student. If the student:
 5      (A)    Has a primary health care provider, the school-based
 6   health center shall make every effort to coordinate services
 7   with the student's primary health care provider to avoid any
 8   duplication of services.
 9      (B)    Is covered under an insurance policy, the school-based
10   health center may seek reimbursement under the student's
11   insurance.
12      (2)    A school-based health center shall make a complete range
13   of services available to any student who enrolls if the student
14   obtained parental consent, is eighteen (18) years of age or is
15   otherwise able to provide consent based on existing State law.
16      (3)    When providing services by referral, health care
17   providers shall minimize financial, geographical and other
18   barriers to the greatest extent possible.
19      (4)    A school-based health center shall make consent forms
20   available to each enrolling student to obtain informed written
21   consent of the parent or legal guardian of the student as
22   required under the laws of this Commonwealth. Consent forms
23   shall include a complete list of the specific services provided
24   at the school-based health center.
25      (b)    A health care provider, through cooperation with a
26   participating school district, shall make written information
27   about school-based health center services available to parents
28   and legal guardians of students, including:
29      (1)    The scope of services offered.
30      (2)    Opt-in instructions.

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 1      (3)   The ability of the school-based health center to serve
 2   as the designated primary health care provider or provide
 3   services in collaboration with the student's primary health care
 4   provider.
 5      (4)   Staffing patterns.
 6      (c)   Services provided by a school-based health center shall
 7   be determined by, in the case of public schools, the school
 8   board of the district or, in the case of private schools or
 9   parochial schools, the private governing body. The school board
10   of the school district or the private governing body shall
11   consider conducting an assessment of a participating school
12   district's, private school's or parochial school's student
13   population needs and shall be sensitive to:
14      (1)   The age of students served.
15      (2)   The racial demographics and ethnic backgrounds of
16   students.
17      (3)   The availability, use and access to other school and
18   community resources.
19      (4)   The size of the enrolled population of the school-based
20   health center.
21      (d)   If a school district establishes a school-based health
22   center, the school-based health center shall be integrated into
23   the school district environment and plans and shall coordinate
24   health services with school district administration, teachers,
25   nurses, support or other school district personnel and other
26   community providers at the school district.
27      (e)   A school-based health center, in partnership with a
28   participating school district and other service providers at the
29   school district, shall develop policies and systems to ensure
30   confidentiality in the sharing of medical information in

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 1   accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and
 2   Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-191, 110 Stat. 1936).
 3      (f)    Except as provided in paragraph (2), upon availability
 4   of funding from the Commonwealth, the department may promulgate
 5   regulations regarding school-based health centers to meet the
 6   requirements of this section according to the following:
 7      (1)    The department shall solicit input from the advisory
 8   council established under subsection (h) and stakeholders in
 9   developing regulations under this section.
10      (2)    The department may not require a school district,
11   private school or parochial school to offer services in a
12   school-based health center which the school district or
13   governing body of the private school or parochial school has not
14   itself approved.
15      (g)    The department shall establish a school-based health
16   center liaison position within the department who shall
17   facilitate communication with school-based health centers. The
18   liaison shall serve on the advisory council established under
19   subsection (h).
20      (h)    A Statewide school-based health advisory council is
21   established within the department and in accordance with the
22   following:
23      (1)    The advisory council shall consist of the following
24   members, which shall be appointed by the Governor unless
25   otherwise stated:
26      (i)    Two department representatives, as appointed by the
27   Secretary of Health.
28      (ii)    The school-based health center liaison, as established
29   under subsection (g).
30      (iii)     Three experts in the field of school-based health

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 1   centers.
 2      (iv)     Two students who attend a school that established a
 3   school-based health center.
 4      (v)     Two parents of a child of school age at a school that
 5   established a school-based health center.
 6      (vi)     One member of the administration of a school district
 7   that established a school-based health center.
 8      (vii)     One member of the administration of a private school
 9   or parochial school that established a school-based health
10   center.
11      (viii)     Two community members of communities where a school-
12   based health center was established.
13      (ix)     Two health care providers who work in a school-based
14   health center.
15      (2)     Members of the advisory council shall serve two-year
16   terms.
17      (3)     The advisory council shall:
18      (i)     Provide guidance on the operation and community
19   integration of school-based health centers.
20      (ii)     Encourage school-based health centers to convene
21   advisory groups at the school district level to gain nuanced
22   insight on each school district.
23      (iii)     Participate in the planning and development of school-
24   based health center policies.
25      (iv)     Participate in the identification of emerging health
26   issues and appropriate interventions.
27      (v)     Provide advocacy for the availability of school-based
28   health centers.
29      (i)     Upon availability of funding by the General Assembly,
30   the department may collect demographic and utilization data on

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 1   school-based health centers to share with the General Assembly,
 2   which may include:
 3      (1)    The total number of school-based health centers.
 4      (2)    The total number of students accessing services
 5   Statewide and school district totals.
 6      (3)    Racial and ethnic demographics of students accessing
 7   services.
 8      (4)    The amount of funding available.
 9      (5)    Expansion of health insurance coverage.
10      (6)    Efforts to raise public and health care provider
11   awareness of racial and ethnic disparities in health care.
12      (7)    The capacity and number of health care providers in
13   school-based health centers.
14      (8)    Causes and interventions to reduce health disparities.
15      (9)    The number of visits where payments were made by
16   insurance, including whether the insurance was the Children's
17   Health Insurance Program, Medicaid or private payers.
18      (10)     Health outcomes of students.
19      (j)    Upon availability of funding by the General Assembly,
20   the department may research the appropriateness of developing a
21   certification for school-based health centers. If the department
22   develops a certification under this subsection and a school-
23   based health center receives a certification, the school-based
24   health center may not require cost-sharing of services from
25   students enrolled in the school.
26      (k)    As used in this section, the following words and phrases
27   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
28   the context clearly indicates otherwise:
29      "Advisory council."    The school-based health advisory council
30   established under subsection (h).

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 1      "Complete range of services."        Services permissible under law
 2   and specifically approved by a school board of the district, in
 3   the case of public schools, or a private governing body, in the
 4   case of private schools and parochial schools.
 5      "Department."    The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
 6      "Health care provider."     A person, corporation, facility,
 7   institution or other entity licensed, certified or approved by
 8   the Commonwealth to provide health care or professional medical
 9   services. The term includes a physician, podiatrist,
10   optometrist, psychologist, psychiatrist, physical therapist,
11   certified nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, physicians
12   assistant, chiropractor, dentist, pharmacist or an individual
13   accredited or certified to provide behavioral health services.
14      "School-based health center."        A health clinic that:
15      (1)    Is located in or near a school district facility.
16      (2)    Is organized through school district and health care
17   provider relationships.
18      (3)    Provides, through licensed professionals, primary health
19   services to students, which may include:
20      (i)    Social services.
21      (ii)    Health education.
22      (iii)    Comprehensive health assessments, including diagnosis
23   and treatment of minor, acute and chronic medical conditions,
24   immunizations and physical exams.
25      (iv)    Referrals to and follow-up for specialty care and oral
26   and vision health services, mental health and substance use
27   disorder assessments.
28      (v)    Crisis intervention, counseling, treatment and referral
29   to a continuum of mental health and substance use disorder
30   services, including emergency psychiatric care, risk behavior

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1   services, community support programs, inpatient care and
2   outpatient programs.
3      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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