School-Based Health Services

When you receive an appointment reminder text, respond that the appointment needs to be canceled/rescheduled.

You can also cancel or reschedule by calling 541-308-8345.

Shool-based health services are designed to lower barriers to accessing quality health care for students. They:

• Offer low or no-cost care for uninsured patients - no student is turned away for lack of funds

• Reduce transportation needs

• Decrease missed class time for students

• Decrease missed work time for guardians

• Are accessible when other primary care providers are hard to get into and/or for urgent health issues

• Provide student-centered health care, and place youth and family needs at the heart of their decision-making!

Based on Oregon law, students may self-consent for the following care:

• General primary and dental care beginning at age 15

• Mental health services beginning at age 14

• Reproductive health care at any age

• Students from other campuses may need a parent or guardian present when accessing care during health center hours at the high school. Please call for details (541-308-8345; 541-386-6380, after hours).

If you have health insurance we will bill your insurance for the visit. OCH accepts Oregon and Washington Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial insurance plans.

We encourage anyone who is uninsured to apply for Medicaid insurance. If you qualify, this ensures you can get the medical, dental, and behavioral health care you need with minimal cost to you. You may qualify for this type of coverage secondary to your primary coverage. One Community Health has Patient Care Advocates who can help you apply for Medicaid coverage for your family. Call 541-386-6380 extension 20 for bilingual help. Learn more here.

If you do not have health insurance OCH offers a sliding fee discount based on family size and income. Patients will never be turned away because of an inability to pay. Learn more and apply here.

Under Oregon law, minors have a right to consent to their own age-appropriate reproductive healthcare at any age, and can consent to access mental healthcare at age 14 and general medical care at age 15. While confidentiality is a legal right, youth providers know the value of parent/guardian involvement in the health care of their children. Clinical staff talk regularly with youth about how to involve their support systems in medical decision-making, and how to increase parent/child communication. Through conversations with providers and family members, youth are empowered to understand how healthcare systems work and how to access them when they need mental or medical healthcare, which helps build important skills that will support them as they become independent adults. School-based health service providers work hard to center the needs of youth and their loved ones while consistently upholding best practices under Oregon law.

All students currently enrolled in the school where a service is being offered are eligible to access that service. This means that any time services are offered at our school based health centers in Dufur and Hood River or at The Dalles High School, any student from the school (K-12) can access the school-based health service. Eligibility is based on school enrollment alone—insurance status and ability to pay are never a factor. Students do not need to already be One Community Health Patients to access school-based health services.

For questions about eligibility, call 541.308.8345.

It is the responsibility of the medical sponsor to keep and maintain confidential medical records, just as you would expect at the hospital or your PCP’s office. These records are subject to federal and state laws regarding access and confidentiality the same as any other medical office.