[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 59 (Wednesday, May 4, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E803-E804]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   REPEALING MANDATORY FUNDING FOR SCHOOL HEALTH CENTER CONSTRUCTION

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 3, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1214) to 
     repeal mandatory funding for school-based health center 
     construction:

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chair, I make a motion to strike the last 
word. I oppose H.R. 1214, a bill that would repeal mandatory funding 
for school-based health centers construction.
  Funding for the school-based health centers will ensure that nearly 2 
million children and adolescents across the country will have access to 
quality comprehensive medical care, mental health services, oral health 
services, preventive care, social services, and youth development. 
These centers typically help children and adolescents who often do not 
have access to family doctors of their own.
  School-based health centers have demonstrated their successes and 
accomplishments in attracting harder to reach populations, especially 
minorities and males and providing crucial services such as mental 
health care and high-risk behavior screens. Some analysts have reported 
that 10 out of 21 adolescents were more likely to come to school-based 
health centers for mental health services than other types of health 
facilities.

[[Page E804]]

When students have access to health centers to receive counseling, they 
are less likely to miss school or be tardy to class versus those 
students who do not receive access to similar services.
  Students perform better in school when they are healthy and ready to 
learn. Our school-based health centers are cost effective and provide 
an ideal setting to administer preventative health care to children. 
Several research studies have shown that school-based health centers 
help in reducing Medicaid expenditures related to inpatient, drug, and 
emergency room use, and improvements in health outcome. It is important 
that we remain committed to funding these health centers and provide 
the necessary investments in our children and our nation's health.
  I urge all my colleagues to vote no on H.R. 1214.

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