Kids First: A Multicomponent Onboarding for Practitioner Students in a School-Based Health Center

Abstract

School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) often serve vulnerable populations who have been exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) which have been tied to an increase in adult health risk factors. At an urban SBHC serving adolescent students, 75% of patients reported three or more ACEs. This SBHC also had multiple practitioner students. A multicomponent onboarding was created to implement the Patient Interaction Standard of Care, addressing the SBHC model, adolescent care, and ACEs. Practitioner students that completed the onboarding demonstrated 97% adherence to the Patient Interaction Standard of Care “Always” or “Most of the Time.” By onboarding frequent practitioner students, care provided to this vulnerable patient population was more consistently aligned to evidenced-based care appropriate for the SBHC model, adolescent care, and ACEs. This demonstrates the importance of mandatory onboarding completion compliance and further implementation across other SBCHs.