The role of school health centers in health care access and client outcomes.

Objectives: We describe the impact of school health centers in Alameda County, California, on adolescents' access to care and their mental and physical health outcomes.

Methods: We used a multimethod evaluation of 12 school health centers to track data on clients (n=7410), services, and provider-reported outcomes; client pre-post surveys (n=286); and student focus groups (n=105 participants).

Results: School health centers were the most commonly reported source of medical (30%), family planning (63%), and counseling (31%) services for clients.

Evaluation of a peer provider reproductive health service model for adolescents.

Context: The use of peer providers in family planning clinics has been proposed as a strategy that could better serve sexually active adolescent populations.

Methods: Baseline and follow-up survey data from 1,424 female and 166 male adolescent clients of five California community health clinics were analyzed to assess the effectiveness of a peer provider model between 1996 and 1999. Multivariable analyses examined differences in outcomes between clients' first and last clinic visits, and by whether clients received only clinical services or other components of the model (outreach and telephone follow-up) as well.