This report discusses the role that school health centers can play in providing comprehensive health care and health education services to adolescents and reviews the effectiveness of such health centers in three Chicago high schools. School-based health centers need to stress: (1) high-quality care; (2) parental, school, and community involvement; (3) consistent care from trusted adults; (4) convenience, affordability, confidentiality, and respect; (5) support and education; (6) flexibility and openness; and (7) comprehensiveness. Three such centers were opened by the Ounce of Prevention Fund in three Chicago high schools in economically-depressed areas in the mid-1980s with financial support from state and private organizations. The centers were found to contribute to adolescent health by greatly increasing the number of students who visited school health centers, reducing the number of low birthweight babies born to student mothers, and providing various health maintenance and education services to students. The report argues that school-based centers need adequate financial support to provide high-quality, comprehensive services, and that such support should be mandated in any future health care reform initiatives. (Contains 18 references.) (MDM)