SB 1411

                                                PRINTER'S NO.     1880
                THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
                   SENATE BILL
                   No. 1411
                                          Session of
                                            2026
INTRODUCED BY STREET, PICOZZI, HUGHES, HAYWOOD, COMITTA, COSTA,
   MILLER, KANE AND SCHWANK, JULY 9, 2026
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JULY 9, 2026
                               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)    A school-based health center:
15    (i)    Shall be open and staffed during the regular hours of
16 the school facility in which the school-based health center is
17 located or which is near the school-based health center.
18    (ii)    May not turn away a student due to an inability to pay.
19    (iii)   May not decline care to a student due to insurance
20 status, health status or existence of a current primary health
1 care provider of a student. If the student:
2    (A)   Has a primary health care provider, the school-based
3 health center shall make every effort to coordinate services
4 with the student's primary health care provider to avoid any
5 duplication of services.
6    (B)   Is covered under an insurance policy, the school-based
7 health center may seek reimbursement under the student's
8 insurance.
9    (2)   A school-based health center shall make a complete range
10 of health care services available to any student who enrolls if
11 the student obtained parental consent, is eighteen (18) years of
12 age or is otherwise able to provide consent based on the laws of
13 this Commonwealth.
14    (3)   When providing services by referral, a health care
15 provider shall minimize financial, geographical and other
16 barriers to the greatest extent possible.
17    (4)   A school-based health center shall make consent forms
18 available to each enrolling student to obtain informed written
19 consent of the parent or legal guardian of the student as
20 required under the laws of this Commonwealth. Consent forms
21 shall include a complete list of the specific services provided
22 at the school-based health center.
23    (b)   A health care provider, through cooperation with a
24 participating school, shall make written information about
25 school-based health center services available to parents and
26 legal guardians of students, including:
27    (1)   The scope of services offered.
28    (2)   Opt-in instructions.
29    (3)   The ability of the school-based health center to serve
30 as the designated primary health care provider or provide
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1 services in collaboration with the student's primary health care
2 provider.
3    (4)   Staffing patterns.
4    (c)   Services provided by a school-based health center shall
5 be determined by, in the case of a public school, the school
6 board of the district or, in the case of a private school or
7 parochial school, the private governing body. The school board
8 of the school district or the private governing body shall
9 consider conducting an assessment of a participating school
10 district's, private school's or parochial school's student
11 population needs and shall be sensitive to:
12    (1)   The age of students served.
13    (2)   The racial demographics and ethnic backgrounds of
14 students.
15    (3)   The availability, use and access to other school and
16 community resources.
17    (4)   The size of the enrolled population of the school-based
18 health center.
19    (d)   If a school establishes a school-based health center,
20 the school-based health center shall be integrated into the
21 school environment and plans and shall coordinate health care
22 services with school administration, teachers, the certified
23 school nurse, support or other school personnel and other
24 community providers at the school.
25    (e)   A school-based health center, in partnership with a
26 participating school and other service providers at the school,
27 shall develop policies and systems to ensure confidentiality in
28 the sharing of medical information in accordance with the Health
29 Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law
30 104-191, 110 Stat. 1936).
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1    (f)     Except as provided in paragraph (2), the department may
2 promulgate regulations regarding school-based health centers to
3 meet the requirements of this section according to the
4 following:
5    (1)     The department shall solicit input from the advisory
6 council and stakeholders in developing regulations under this
7 section.
8    (2)     The department may not require a school district,
9 private school or parochial school to offer services in a
10 school-based health center which the school district or
11 governing body of the private school or parochial school has not
12 itself approved.
13    (g)     The department shall establish a school-based health
14 center liaison position within the department who shall
15 facilitate communication with school-based health centers.
16    (h)     A Statewide school-based health advisory council is
17 established within the department and in accordance with the
18 following:
19    (1)     The advisory council shall consist of the following
20 members, which shall be appointed by the Governor unless
21 otherwise stated:
22    (i)     Two department representatives, appointed by the
23 Secretary of Health.
24    (ii)     The school-based health center liaison, established
25 under subsection (g).
26    (iii)     Three experts in the field of school-based health
27 centers.
28    (iv)     Two students who attend a school that established a
29 school-based health center.
30    (v)     Two parents of a child of school age at a school that
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1 established a school-based health center.
2    (vi)    One member of the administration of a school district
3 that established a school-based health center.
4    (vii)    Two certified school nurses.
5    (viii)    One member of the administration of a private school
6 or parochial school that established a school-based health
7 center.
8    (ix)    Two community members of communities where a school-
9 based health center was established.
10    (x)    Two health care providers who work in a school-based
11 health center.
12    (2)    Members of the advisory council shall serve two-year
13 terms.
14    (3)    The advisory council shall:
15    (i)    Provide guidance on the operation and community
16 integration of school-based health centers.
17    (ii)    Encourage school-based health centers to convene
18 advisory groups at the school level to gain nuanced insight on
19 each school.
20    (iii)    Participate in the planning and development of school-
21 based health center policies.
22    (iv)    Participate in the identification of emerging health
23 issues and appropriate interventions.
24    (v)    Provide advocacy for the availability of school-based
25 health centers.
26    (i)    (1)   The department shall collect and track outcome
27 data, including:
28    (i)    School-based health center utilization by:
29    (A)    Number of students served.
30    (B)    Visits and type of visits.
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1    (C)    Racial and ethnic demographics of students served.
2    (D)    Visit billing information.
3    (ii)    Racial, ethnic and socioeconomic health disparity data.
4    (iii)    Expansion of health insurance coverage.
5    (iv)    Efforts to raise public and health care provider
6 awareness of racial and ethnic disparities in health care.
7    (v)    Causes and interventions to reduce health disparities.
8    (vi)    Health and academic outcomes of students.
9    (2)    The department shall report the data collected under
10 paragraph (1) to the General Assembly and post the data on its
11 publicly accessible Internet website.
12    (j)    As used in this section, the following words and phrases
13 shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
14 the context clearly indicates otherwise:
15    "Advisory council."    The school-based health advisory council
16 established under subsection (h).
17    "Certified school nurse."    An educator holding a valid
18 certificate as a school nurse that is qualified to provide
19 information and services in school health-related areas,
20 including assessing, documenting and managing the health care
21 needs of students in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve,
22 including students with disabilities, and recognizing symptoms
23 and consequences of safety and environmental factors related to
24 student health.
25    "Complete range of services."       Services permissible under law
26 and specifically approved by a school board of the district, in
27 the case of public schools, or a private governing body, in the
28 case of private schools and parochial schools.
29    "Department."    The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
30    "Health care provider."    A person, corporation, facility,
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1 institution or other entity licensed, certified or approved by
2 the Commonwealth to provide health care or professional medical
3 services. The term includes a physician, podiatrist,
4 optometrist, psychologist, psychiatrist, physical therapist,
5 certified nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, physicians
6 assistant, chiropractor, dentist, pharmacist or an individual
7 accredited or certified to provide behavioral health services.
8    "School."     A public school, private school or parochial
9 school.
10    "School-based health center."        A health clinic that:
11    (1)    Is located in or near a school facility.
12    (2)    Is organized through school and health care provider
13 relationships.
14    (3)    Provides, through licensed professionals, primary health
15 services to students, which may include:
16    (i)    Social services.
17    (ii)    Health education.
18    (iii)    Comprehensive health assessments, including diagnosis
19 and treatment of minor, acute and chronic medical conditions,
20 immunizations and physical exams.
21    (iv)    Referrals to and follow-up for specialty care and oral
22 and vision health services, mental health and substance use
23 disorder assessments.
24    (v)    Crisis intervention, counseling, treatment and referral
25 to a continuum of mental health and substance use disorder
26 services, including emergency psychiatric care, risk behavior
27 services, community support programs, inpatient care and
28 outpatient programs.
29    Section 2.     This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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