School-based clinics: the Baltimore experience.

Adolescents are at risk for a wide range of problems necessitating creative approaches to the delivery of health care. Baltimore City has responded to this challenge by opening seven school-based clinics (SBCs) that provide comprehensive health and social services to adolescents. This article summarizes the history of SBCs, the range of services, and the role of community involvement. A major focus of this article is the independent role of the nurse practitioner as clinical expert and educator.