Providing Health Services During School Closures: Lessons Learned & Recommendations for Action

March 1, 2021

This issue brief examines the challenges schools have encountered while providing physical, behavioral and mental health services during the Covid-19 pandemic. It considers the impact of state and federal policies, including how state Medicaid programs are responding to ensure reimbursement and funding, and it documents emerging best practices and guidance, especially around telemedicine and parental consent.

The extensive recommendations for state and federal agencies are designed to support the continuous delivery of school-based health services during this time of partial school reopenings and in the case of future health crises and natural disasters.