Senators Hunter and Schauer offered the following concurrent resolution:

            Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 26.

            A concurrent resolution to memorialize the United States Congress to enact H.R. 4230, the School-Based Health Clinic Establishment Act of 2007.

            Whereas, This nation faces a tremendous challenge in improving the health and well-being of our children, particularly children among at-risk groups. Adolescents aged thirteen to eighteen have the poorest health indicators of any age group, according to the American Medical Association. Nearly 8.7 million children in the United States have no form of health insurance.  These children are unable to access preventive health care, which may lead to untreated conditions, unnecessary diseases, and even death. More than 70 percent of children who need psychiatric treatment do not receive services; and

            Whereas, Poor physical or mental health can impair a child's ability to navigate the critical transition years between ten and eighteen years old.  Adolescents with poor health are frequently absent from school, have trouble with homework, suffer emotional distress, fail to bond with their teachers, and are more likely to fail one or more classes.  Education and health are inextricably related. Good health facilitates learning, while poor health hinders it, each with lifelong effects; and

            Whereas, School-based health clinics are a demonstrated effective means of bringing preventive and primary care to medically underserved children and adolescents and decreasing academic failure resulting from poor health. School-based health clinics promote access to healthcare providers, administer medications to students with chronic illnesses, and provide timely and cost-effective healthcare. There are over 1,700 of these clinics in 44 states, serving approximately 2 million children, including 87 health centers serving 200,000 children in Michigan. Data shows that school-based health clinics facilitate academic success by reducing absences and mitigating other obstacles to the learning process; and

            Whereas, H.R. 4230, the School-Based Health Clinic Establishment Act of 2007, provides funding for the development and operation of school-based health clinics. Clearly, using federal funds to help meet the health and educational needs of millions of children to ensure they have a chance to lead productive and healthy lives is prudent, worthy, and crucial for our nation's youth; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That we memorialize the United States Congress to enact H.R. 4230, the School-Based Health Clinic Establishment Act of 2007; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.