HHS touts health law grants for school clinics

The Obama administration praised the Affordable Care Act Wednesday for facilitating more than $80 million in new grants to school-based health centers.

Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius described the grants as investments to improve schools' infrastructure and help clinics "establish new sites or upgrade their current facilities to keep our children healthy."

The healthcare law provides $200 million in fund for the School-Based Health Center Capitol Program. 

The grants announced Wednesday are represent the third series of awards under the law. They will allow 197 clinics to serve an addition 384,000 students, according to a press memo.

School clinics provide a range of services to children, including primary care and mental health treatment. Some also offer dental healthcare, nutrition eduction and substance abuse counseling, according to HHS.

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