Despite evidence that preventative healthcare throughout adolescence profoundly impacts health across the lifespan, the number of adolescents receiving preventative health services is decreasing. During annual visits adolescents receive age-appropriate screenings and health education that contributes to improved health literacy and decreases rates of chronic disease in adulthood. Access and equity have been identified as the primary barriers to receiving preventative healthcare and are more prevalent in minority and disadvantaged communities. The community services task force (CSTF) has proposed the utilization of school-based health centers (SBHCs) to address the above barriers to adolescent health. This paper is a policy analysis that utilizes Bardach & Patashnik's (2020) eightfold path to consider viable policy alternatives to increase the number of adolescents receiving preventative healthcare services through SBHCs in the state of Michigan. Michigan has endorsed SBHCs for decades; but, despite consistent support and proven sustainability, many adolescents in the state of Michigan do not have access to quality preventative healthcare. A thorough review of the literature paired with an extensive environmental scan provided the foundation for thoughtful engagement with relevant stakeholders. Stakeholder feedback was organized into themes and viable policy recommendations were constructed. Based on the information that was gathered it is the recommendation of the authors that a multi-pronged approach including includes maximizing current state and federal funding, increasing the number of partnerships with FQHCs to meet the national average of fifty percent, and modifying existing eligibility criteria to improve diversity within the current applicant pool.
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