Name
School-Based Telehealth: A Novel Partnership Model to Improve Access to Medical and Mental Health Care
Description

This presentation showcases an innovative partnership between Burlington Pediatrics/Mebane Pediatrics, Cone Health System, and Alamance-Burlington School System to deliver comprehensive school-based telehealth services. The model addresses critical gaps in pediatric healthcare access by bringing medical and mental health services directly to students during the school day, eliminating transportation barriers and reducing missed school time. By leveraging the deep community ties and integrated care offerings of an independent pediatric practice, the resources of a regional health system, and the infrastructure of a school district, this partnership demonstrates how cross-sector collaboration can promote health equity, expand mental health access, and reduce chronic absenteeism. The presentation will detail implementation strategies, partnership development, and preliminary outcomes that support the sustainability and scalability of this model.

Speakers
Yun Boylston, MD
MoRhonda Foxx, CMA
Kechia Harper, LCSW
Content Level
All Audience
Tags
Innovations, School-based, Telehealth
Session Type
Concurrent
Objective 1
Analyze evidence-based outcomes demonstrating how school-based telehealth reduces healthcare disparities, improves access to mental health services, and decreases chronic absenteeism among underserved student populations.
Objective 2
Describe the essential components of a successful multi-sector partnership between independent pediatric practices, health systems, and school districts for implementing school-based telehealth services.
Objective 3
Identify implementation strategies for overcoming common barriers to school-based telehealth, including technology infrastructure, reimbursement models, privacy considerations, and stakeholder engagement.
Content Reference 1

Ward MM, Merchant KAS, Ullrich F, et al. Telehealth Services for Primary Care and Urgent Care to Support Rural Schools and Students. Telemedicine Journal and E-Health : The Official Journal of the American Telemedicine Association. 2023.

Content Reference 2

Mayfield CA, Priem JS, Effinger T, McGinnis S, Grinton P. School-Based Telemedicine and Reduced Avoidable Emergency Care Among Rural Pediatric Patients. Telemedicine Journal and E-Health : The Official Journal of the American Telemedicine Association. 2023.

Content Reference 3

Bian J, Cristaldi KK, Summer AP, et al. Association of a School-Based, Asthma-Focused Telehealth Program With Emergency Department Visits Among Children Enrolled in South Carolina Medicaid. JAMA Pediatrics. 2019.

Content Reference 4

Sweenie R, Guilbert TW, Lusebrink R, et al. Outcomes and Recommendations From Telehealth Asthma Clinics in Underserved Schools. Pediatric Pulmonology. 2025.

Content Reference 5

5. Boudreaux M, Chu J, Lipton BJ. School-Based Health Centers, Access to Care, and Income-Based Disparities. JAMA Network Open. 2023. 6. Kjolhede C, Brunner WM, Sipple JW. School-Based Health Centers and School Attendance in Rural Areas. JAMA Network Open. 2025. 7. Lim C, Chung PJ, Biely C, et al. School Attendance Following Receipt of Care From a School-Based Health Center. The Journal of Adolescent Health : Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine. 2023. 8. Curfman AL, Hackell JM, Herendeen NE, et al. Telehealth: Improving Access to and Quality of Pediatric Health Care. Pediatrics. 2021. 9. Curfman A, Hackell JM, Herendeen NE, et al. Telehealth: Opportunities to Improve Access, Quality, and Cost in Pediatric Care. Pediatrics. 2022.