This research brief describes an examination of the effect of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) on children's access to needed health services and on their quality of life. The analysis focused on a sample of California families who had recently enrolled in that state's SCHIP. The study found that, after enrollment, children received needed health care services more frequently and also reported quality-of-life improvements, such as doing better in school, feeling better physically, and getting along better with peers. Three policy implications are also examined. (Contains 2 figures.) [This research brief summarizes the findings presented in the following publication: Seid M, Varni JW, Cummings L, and Schonlau M, "The Impact of Realized Access to Care on Health-Related Quality of Life: A Two-Year Prospective Cohort Study of Children in the California State Children's Health Insurance Program," Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 149, No. 3, September 2006, pp. 354-361.]