Overview
The School Health Services sub committee intervenes with actual and potential health problems, including providing first aid, emergency care and assessment and planning for the management of chronic conditions (such as asthma or diabetes). In addition, wellness promotion, preventive services and staff, student and parent education complement the provision of care coordination services. These services are also designed to ensure access and/or referrals to the medical home or private healthcare provider.
School Health Services connect school staff, students, families, community and healthcare providers to promote the health care of students and a healthy and safe school environment. School health services actively collaborate with school and community support services to increase the ability of students and families to adapt to health and social stressors, such as chronic health conditions or social and economic barriers to health, and to be able to manage these stressors and advocate for their own health and learning needs.
CSH Team Facilitator – Health Services
- JoAnn Menrath, jmenrath@bethlehemschools.org, School Nurse Coordinator
Vision
School nurses would like to implement evidence-based strategies to support the health and well-being of all students; especially for those students who have concerns involving mental health, school attendance, and chronic health conditions, that can impact their learning.
Strategies and Actions
- School Health Services will continue to develop and utilize templates that will improve the quality of data for all student health office visits.
- School Health Services will continue to work with Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services on developing a referral process and a tool for school nurses to assess, identify, and triage behavioral health concerns.
- School Health Services will dedicate their Continuous Improvement efforts on enhancing school nurse competence in managing the needs of students with, or at risk, for emotional and behavioral difficulties that interfere with learning.
- School Health Services will work with district staff in supporting students with attendance concerns through:
- Supporting a district-wide, systematic approach in addressing attendance concerns; including the consistent utilization of reporting systems for better data collection
- Encouraging school/classroom attendance for all students
- Assisting in the monitoring of attendance patterns, including absences, tardiness, early departures; and, health office visits
- Developing/supporting effective intervention strategies to improve school attendance
- School Health Services will develop and provide training opportunities for staff regarding diabetes, severe allergies/anaphylaxis, and, seizure disorders.
Resources
National Association of School Nurses
- Behavioral Health of Students, The School Nurse’s Role In (Adopted June 2017)
- School Nurse’s Role in Combating Chronic Absenteeism
- Students with Chronic Health Conditions: The Role of the School Nurse (Revised June 2017)
- Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child: Implications for 21st Century School Nurses (Adopted June 2017)
Attendance and Absenteeism Resources
New York Center for School Health