School-Based Health

A healthcare professional checks a child's heartbeat with a stethoscope inside a medical facility.

In December 2016, the West Virginia School-Based Health Assembly (WVSBHA) and the West Virginia Primary Care Association (WVPCA) merged. 

The WVPCA and WVSBHA had worked collaboratively for many years to ensure that West Virginia’s children have access to healthcare, and they are now combined under the WVPCA in an effort to unify the voice of school-based health services and sustain the work that both organizations have been committed to for many years. The WVPCA continues to offer training and technical assistance to all organizations that offer school-based health services, while also continuing to advocate on behalf of the children in our state.

West Virginia has had many partners that helped our state become a national leader in school-based health. The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and the Sisters of St. Joseph Health and Wellness Foundation has been leaders in this movement with their dedication, passion, and financial support to advance school-based health services for children. There are now over 237 School-Based Health Centers in West Virginia.

John Kennedy is the Director of School-Based/Behavioral Health Services that is continuing the great work that has been done. With a background in behavioral health counseling for children and families, along with many years of developing school-based services, John has added depth and expertise to the merging of these two entities. 

The WVPCA is committed to the continual improvement of school-based health across West Virginia. School-based Health Centers are a vital part of maximizing the potential of our children, and it is important that we work together across systems to make a difference in the lives of our children.

For a complete list of School-Based Health Centers, click here. 

For more information, please contact John Kennedy, Director of School-Based/Behavioral Health Services at john.kennedy@wvpca.org or 304-320-5780.