School-based Healthcare Centers in NJ?

Tell your Senator to Vote NO on bill S3156 on Monday, May 20th!

Tell your New Jersey State Senator to VOTE NO on bill S3156.

Schools should not be in the business of health provider or decider. Protect children and protect parental rights.

Senate bill 3156 allows schools to lease property to “federally qualified health centers.”  It was introduced and passed through the Senate Education Committee on May 6th in less than three minutes with NO questions, comments, or discussion. Our peer, Ann Rosen, wrote this important Substack asking this important question:

Is NJ's S3156 quietly paving the way for School-Based Health Centers?

This bill is being heard in the full Senate for a vote on Monday, May 20th, even before the companion bill A4381 is heard by the Assembly Education Committee. 

So, what’s the big deal?  And, what’s at stake?

This is not an issue of school space or economics but rather direct access and influence of children.  Parental rights and control of healthcare decisions are at stake. 

Let’s consider the fact that the NJ state legislature will soon be voting on lowering the age of consent for behavioral services (S1970/A2328) from the current 16 years of age to 14.   This means that a health center placed in a NJ high school could provide services to any student without parental consent. 

What are school-based health centers (SBHCs)? Review this Stand for Health Freedom PDF on this topic.

Why should we be concerned about SBHCs? Review this Stand for Health Freedom PDF on this topic.

School-based health centers (SBHCs), already in place in several states, seek to replace the family doctor and provide a full range of services including vaccinations, prescriptions, reproductive counseling, mental and behavioral health counseling. Mostly unregulated, the SBHCs have few if any guardrails to protect parental rights and meet minimum standards of care. 

The placement of health centers within school settings, takes parents out of the picture for their child's healthcare, relies on the child to make informed decisions without a fully developed brain or full knowledge of their health history, and places health practitioners in an unethical position.  There are many potentially harmful implications of bill S3156. 

Help us STOP S3156 and contact your Senator to tell them to vote NO on Monday, May 20th!