School-Health Partnerships Kick-Off Meeting The Maryland Perspective

 Presenters §Donna Behrens, Health Policy Director Governor’s Office for Children, Youth, and Families §Dr. Eric Fine, Chair, Maryland State School Health Council §Vicki Taliaferro, Health Services Specialist, Maryland State Department of Education §Dr. Cheryl DePinto, Chief, Adolescent and Child Health, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

. Healthy Kids Make Better Students. Better Students Make Healthy Communities.

Goal: To promote students’ optimal learning ability and maximize learning opportunities by supporting, maintaining and improving their physical, emotional and mental health. Queen Anne’s County, Maryland School Health Services Program

Coordinated School Health Programs Healthy Kids Make Better Students School Health Services Health Education School Food Services Physical Education Parent/Community Partnerships School Environment Coordinated Pupil Services Staff Wellness

Legislative Chronology §1950’s Pupil Services Regulation §1960’s MSSHC Regulation §1991 School Health Standards §1993 Creation of Healthy Schools Coalition  1999 Health Education Regulations

State Partners §Department of Health and Mental Hygiene §Maryland State Department of Education §Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families §MSSHC serves as an advisory to all three state agencies

Maryland State School Health Council’s Specific Goals §To improve the health of children through development of comprehensive school health programs §To review comprehensive school health program issues and make recommendations to the State Superintendent of Education, the State Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Special Secretary of the Office of Children, Youth and Families, their designated representatives,or the Council membership

Maryland State School Health Council’s Specific Goals §To educate and disseminate information regarding the development and improvement of comprehensive school health programs §To aid in the development of local school health councils in Maryland §To develop, review, and recommend to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Department of Education, the Office of Children, Youth and Families, and local governments policy and legislation regarding comprehensive school health programs

Maryland State School Health Council’s School Year Priorities  Capabilities of Local School Health Councils  School-based Tobacco Prevention/Cessation  Local and State Health and Education Agency Collaboration  Health Education Outcomes/Indicators  Physical Education Content Standards  School Nurse Certification

Maryland State School Health Council’s School Year Priorities  Comprehensive Local Environmental Health Plans  Teen Pregnancy Prevention Blueprint  School Health Council Newsletter  Bylaws Review and Update

Role of Localities §Local School Health Councils §Each school is mandated to have a Pupil Services Team which includes health services, guidance psychological services,pupil personnel, and administration

Maryland’s School Health Services §In 1957, Maryland enacted Education Article ”Local school systems, with the assistance of local health departments, are responsible for providing school health services, health education, and healthful environment to all public schools.” §In May 1991, the State Board of Education adopted the “School Health Services Standards” (COMAR 13A );

Two basic models of school health services staffing : §RN in every school §RN is assigned to 1-4 schools with a paraprofessional in every school under an RN’s supervision.

Local Funding of School Health Services Programs # of jurisdictions

Who Employs School Health Services Staff In Maryland? # of RNs and other health services staff

Which Agency Primarily Manages School Health Services Programs in Maryland? # of jurisdictions

Accomplishments §Joint declaration §Annual meeting of Superintendents and Health Officers §Local School Health Councils §Maryland Healthy Schools Coalition §School-based wellness centers in 64 schools

Accomplishments §Training: l School Health Institute l Coordinated School Health Team training l MSSHC semi-annual conferences l Positive Behavioral Intervention Training

Accomplishments §Technical Assistance: l School Health Services onsites l 3 SBHC administrative meetings/yr l School Health Services/School Psychology Services, Guidance Counselors periodic inservices l Pupil Services onsites

Accomplishments §Health Services Guidelines §Health Education Curricula §Physical Education Standard §ADHD Advisory Committee §Medication Administration Training §Asthma Partnerships

Partnerships require enthusiastic but careful dancing

“ What is very clear, is that education and health for children are inextricably entwined. A student who is not healthy, who suffers from an undetected vision or hearing deficit, or who is hungry, or who is impaired by drugs or alcohol, is not a student who will profit optimally from the educational process.” J. Michael McGinnis, Director Disease Prevention and Health Promotion U.S. Public Health Service

School-based Health Centers: Critical Caring on the Front Line  Comp. health assessment95%  Anticipatory guidance95%  Screenings (vision, hearing)94%  Treatment of acute illness94%  Nutrition counseling91%  Asthma treatment91%  Prescriptions for medication90%  Sports physicals90%  Lab tests89%  Meds administered in SBHC86%  Treatment of chronic illness84%  Psychosocial assessment73%  Medications dispensed62%  Dental screenings52%

Note: The survey was conducted by the Making the Grade National Program Office in the summer of In February 2001, Making the Grade became The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools. The Center remains at The George Washington University and is co-sponsored by the School of Public Health and Health Services and the Graduate School of Education and Human Development. Top Ten States with School-Based Health Centers

§2001 l Currently 64 SBHCs l Located in 11 of the 24 jurisdictions l Distribution: 29 Elementary Schools 14 Middle Schools 18 High Schools 1 K-8 School 2 Middle/High Schools

Questions?