What's New in School Health ResourcesA Quarterly Publication of
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| Editor: Linda Elinoff Feltz, M.L.S., Resource Specialist | Vol. 7, Issue 2/3 |
Guidelines for Protecting Confidential Student Health Information. National
Task Force on Confidential Student Information. Kent, OH: American School
Health Association, 2000. This publication contains the results of a cooperative
project of the American School Health Association with National Association
of School Nurses and National Association of State School Nurse Consultants.
The number of students with chronic physical and emotional conditions, and
behavioral and learning disorders is increasing in schools, and their right
to confidentiality of student health information is threatened by the multitude
of health and academic personnel that require access to such information.
There are inconsistencies between state and federal laws that affect health
and education, and current guidelines are insufficient. This guide defines
the nature of confidential student health information, and provides specific
guidelines on record creation, storage, transfer, and destruction. There are
guidelines on informed consent, functional health information, and right-to-know.
Specific guidelines address school-based and school-linked health centers.
There is information on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and
a sample interagency agreement. Available for $12.95 for ASHA members, $18.95
nonmembers, plus $6.50 shipping from American School Health Association, 7263
State Route 43, P.O. Box 708, Kent, OH 44240, (330) 678-1601, fax (330) 678-4526.
E-mail masha@ashaweb.org or order online
at http://www.ashaweb.org
The Future of Children: Children and Computer Technology. Los Altos, CA: David and Lucile Packard Foundation. 10(2): Fall/Winter 2000. School health professionals may be invited to participate in computer technology advisory committees in schools. This issue of The Future of Children focuses on the impact of computer technology on children; how computer use affects children's health and development; whether computers increase the disparities between rich and poor; and whether computers are effective in enhancing classroom instruction. The essays in this issue explore the historical context of computers in media research, the differences in access among socioeconomic groups, how computer-based technologies are changing what children learn in school, how computers can help special needs students, the impact of home computer use on children's activities and development, and provide a description of the new digital media culture and children's web sites. The editors offer a descriptive analysis of the current research and provide recommendations for further research, and the steps that schools, communities, state and local government agencies, and the federal government may take to help ensure that children use computers in the most effective ways to improve their lives. Available at no charge from the Circulation Department, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, 300 Second St., Suite 200, Los Altos, CA 94022. E-mail mcirculation@futureofchildren.org or fax (650) 941-2273. Also available online at http://www.futureofchildren.org.
Health Care the Big Winner of Tobacco Funds. National Conference of State Legislatures. State Health Policy Brief 2(6): Sept. 2001. Over $21.3 billion in tobacco settlement revenues have been appropriated by states over three fiscal years, 2000 through 2002. Almost half of these funds, $9.7 billion, have gone into health care, funding such programs as Medicaid services, children's health insurance programs, tobacco use prevention, school nurses, biomedical research, health care training, indigent care, pharmaceutical assistance, and home- and community-based waivers. Over $5 billion were placed in endowments and budget reserves for ongoing tobacco prevention and health care services. Another $4 billion are committed in statute for health care programs. Over $1 billion are now available for school- and community- based tobacco cessation and prevention programs. Grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were previously necessary to fund such programs. Illinois and Iowa have begun significant tobacco control and prevention programs. Colorado and Missouri have directed funds into long-term care. Twenty states have increased funding for biomedical research, including cancer and tobacco-related diseases. Ohio, Louisiana, Michigan and Nevada are distributing funds to school districts and scholarships. Kentucky and 11 other states have funneled money into children's and youth programs. Complete information on tobacco settlement payments can be found in a new publication, "State Management and Allocation of Tobacco Settlement Revenue -1999 to 2001," available for $49.00 plus $2.00 shipping and handling from the Health Policy Tracking Service (202) 624-3567.
Resource-Oriented Teams: Key Infrastructure Mechanisms for Enhancing Education Supports. Los Angeles, CA: School Mental Health Project, Department of Psychology, UCLA. March 2001. This publication proposes a specific mechanism for dealing with persistent barriers to student learning, as introduced by a 1990 publication, Pioneer Initiatives to Reform Education Support Programs. Resource-oriented organizational mechanisms focus on ensuring appropriate use of resources to reduce fragmentation and enhance cost efficiency. The resource-oriented team focuses on all students, as well as a full spectrum of resources, programs and systems available to deal with barriers to learning and healthy development. While older models of case-oriented teams focused on specific individuals to provide case management and referral, the functions of the resource-oriented team include: mapping resources, analyzing resources, program and system planning, and coordinating resources. This publication provides specific examples of activities, time lines, checklists, and recommendations for such a paradigm shift in organizational development. Available from the School Mental Health Project/Center for Mental Health in Schools, Dept. of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, (310) 825-3634, fax (310) 206-8716, msmhp@ucla.edu. Visit http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu for further information.
Talking About Health Is Academic: Six Workshop Modules for Promoting a Coordinated Approach to School Health Programs. Education Development Center, Inc., Center for School Health Programs. New York: Teachers College Press, 1999. Health Is Academic: A Guide to Coordinated School Health Programs, published in 1998, has become the essential text for coordinated school health programs, based on the knowledge and experience of hundreds of experts in the field. These workshop modules are designed as curricula to supplement the original text with activities and worksheets for actually implementing coordinated school health programs. The six modules include the following topics: overview, getting organized, strengthening interdisciplinary work, introducing new ideas, focusing on a specific component, and the state's role. The overview module reviews how schools can coordinate the eight components of coordinated school health to improve students' health status and school performance. Other modules detail specific action steps, examine the relationships between staff, administration, and community, and look at how schools can support a new approach to school health. Key personnel, resources, and collaborative relationships are reviewed in the context of individual components. The role of the state's infrastructure in establishing and strengthening coordinated school health programs is examined. Each module includes overheads, suggested discussion questions, equipment and materials, scenarios and activities. Available for $24.95 from Teachers College Press, P.O. Box 20, Williston, VT 05495-0020, (800) 575-6566.
Guidelines for Emergency Medical Care in School. Pediatrics 107(2): 435-6, Feb. 2001. This statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on School Health, provides recommendations for emergency health care of major and minor illnesses and injuries that may occur during the school day. There is information about procedures, staff and their qualifications, documentation, and parental notification. The recommendations suggest that each school district should have specific procedures in place for dealing with emergency situations in the school. In most cases, the school health nurse should be the key person to implement the emergency plan and should be educated in emergency care, including basic life support, first aid, use of metered-dose inhalers and nebulizers, and treatment of anaphylactic episodes. Individual emergency plans should be available for students with known risks. In addition, two or more members of the school staff should also be identified to handle emergencies. The full text of these recommendations can be found at http://www.aap.org/policy/re9954.html
Clinical Practice Guideline: Treatment of the School-Age Child with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Pediatrics 108(4): 1033-1044, Oct. 2001. The American Academy of Pediatrics released these new standardized guidelines for primary care physicians treating school-age children with ADHD on October 1, 2001. The guidelines were developed by a panel of experts in medicine, mental health, and education, in partnership with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Evidence-based Practice Center at McMaster University. Some of the recommendations include: establishing a treatment program that recognizes ADHD as a chronic condition, recommending behavior therapy and/or stimulant medication to improve specific symptoms, re-evaluating the original diagnosis if treatment is not meeting goals, and providing periodic follow-up. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions, affecting 4 to 12% of all school-age children, primarily boys. It can cause significant behavioral and school performance problems. The full text of the guidelines can be found at http://www.aap.org/policy/s0120.html. Last year, the Academy released guidelines for diagnosing ADHD, which can be found at http://www.aap.org/policy/ac0002
Prehospital Emergency Care for Children at School and Nonschool Locations. Knight, S., Vernon, D.D., Fines, R.J. and Dean, N.P. Pediatrics 103(6): e81, June 1999. This study was intended to distinguish the difference between school-based emergency medical services (EMS) incidents and nonschool-based EMS incidents for children of school age. Over 12,000 EMS incident reports for children aged 5-18 in South Dakota were examined over a two year period. Six percent of the EMS dispatches were to schools. School-based EMS incidents were the highest at the beginning of the school year, and peaked at noon. The top three reasons for dispatches to schools were falls (36.2%), other trauma (27.0%), and medical illness (24.5%). The most frequent injury was a fracture or dislocation in a lower extremity. Sports were the largest contributing factor, and a medical illness was the most common complaint. Nonschool-based incidents were highest during the summer and peaked during after-school hours. The top three reasons for dispatches were motor vehicle crashes (30.8%), medical illness (26.2%), and other trauma (11.4%). The head was the most commonly injured body region in nonschool-based incidents, and the largest contributing factor was alcohol/drug use. For both locations the average age of patients was 14 years old. School-based EMS incidents more often result in transport to a medical facility. The study concluded that understanding the characteristics of school emergencies is useful to emergency medical providers and school personnel in order to be better prepared for school-based incidents, as well as to provide a means for injury surveillance. School districts would be wise to calculate the number of injuries by building, compare them with these benchmarks, and institute plans to reduce injury rates.
Promoting Health Youth, Schools, and Communities: A Guide to Community-School Health Advisory Councils. Shirer, K. Des Moines, IA: Iowa Department of Public Health. Community-School Health Advisory Councils (CSHACs) consist of a broad cross section of parents, school staff, and community and business members, convened to facilitate communication about the health and educational needs of school-age children. Each council will have a unique agenda based on the needs of its particular community. This guide, developed jointly by the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is intended to be used by school district staff that is planning to form a CSHAP or other collaborative committee. The guide provides a practical, step-by-step approach to planning, conducting, and evaluating a CSHAP. The information is organized in a series of five modules, complete with meeting handouts, checklists and sample forms. A diskette included with the guide contains electronic versions of the blank worksheets and sample handouts that can be modified or used as they are. Using the guide, readers will be able to organize a CSHAP, develop a mission, write an action plan, evaluate their efforts, and maintain the council's momentum. Available for download at http://www.idph.state.ia.us/fch/fam_serv/advisory.htm
Building Business Support for School Health Programs: An Action Guide. Carlos A. Vega-Matos, Project Director. Katherine Fraser, Editor. Alexandria, VA: National Association of State Boards of Education, 1999. This guide was developed to help existing school health coalitions communicate effectively with the public to gather support from local communities and businesses for coordinated school health programs. While recent local and national initiatives for education reform have focused on academic subjects, school health programs have not been fully recognized for their value to school achievement and future success in the workplace. The working group of national health and education organizations that developed this guide teamed up with marketing and public relations firms to research the most successful strategies for communicating with business leaders and employees. The publication includes the following topics: developing key messages for communities and business about coordinated school health programs; organizing a communications team; working with community groups and individuals; reaching business leaders; working with business employees; creating proactive media relations; and developing an issues management plan. Appendices include samples of presentations, messages, letters, news releases, media alerts, fact sheets, letters to the editors, feature articles, and brochures.. There are checklists and guidelines for press conferences, a list of resources and references. A CD-ROM is also included. Available for $29.00 plus $4.50 shipping from NASBE Publications, 277 South Washington St., Suite 100, Alexandria, VA 22314. Shipping cost is 10% of order amount for larger quantities.
Metered Dose Inhalers (Continuing Education Course.) Togger, D.A. and Brenner, P.S. AJN American Journal of Nursing 101(10): 26-32, October 2001. Asthma afflicts more than 26 million Americans, costing over $12 billion annually. Although asthma is considered to be a manageable chronic condition, morbidity and mortality are increasing. Studies have shown that a vast majority of patients with asthma and other respiratory conditions who use metered dose inhalers do not perform all inhalation steps correctly for optimal dosing, because the practitioners responsible for educating patients may have poor technique. This continuing education course is directed toward teaching nurses the skills that will allow them to teach and demonstrate effective inhaler use. The course explains correct metered dose inhaler and spacer usage techniques for various types of inhalers in a step-by-step format, and how to demonstrate these techniques to patients. In addition to learning about equipment and techniques, nurses and patients also learn how to calculate the remaining number of doses and determine the refill date. The article includes a list of references and resources. An accompanying article discusses how to communicate and create patient education materials that will be read and understood by patients with all levels of reading and comprehension ability. After reading the articles, nurses can take the test included in the same issue of the magazine to earn 2.5 hours of continuing education credit.
Immunization Action Coalition and Hepatitis B Coalition. The mission of the not-for-profit Immunization Action Coalition is to "boost immunization rates and prevent disease." The Coalition promotes immunization of all children and adults against all vaccine-preventable diseases. The Hepatitis B Coalition is a program of the Immunization Action Coalition, and promotes hepatitis B vaccination, screening, education and treatment. The Coalition publishes two newsletters, and offers over 100 brochures, slides, videos, and posters in several languages. The website contains much useful information, and it is all camera ready and copyright free. The Coalition offers a summary of rules and recommendations for childhood and adult immunization for various vaccines. There is a chart of current immunization mandates and rates by state. Currently, 26 states have mandates for varicella childhood vaccination. The Spring 2001 issue of their newsletter Needle Tips contains a copyright-free screening questionnaire for child and teen immunization, and risk assessment questionnaires for Hepatitis A, B and C. For more information, visit http://www.immunize.org
National Antimicrobial Information Network. NAIN is a cooperative effort between Oregon State University, Corvallis, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. NAIN provides information to the public, industry, and professionals on EPA-registered antimicrobials, including disinfectants, sanitizers, and mold and mildew-cides. The types of information provided include: product toxicity, proper use and selection, potential adverse effects, methods of minimizing risk, and regulations for product usage. Toll-free telephone number is (800) 447-6349, or visit http://nain.orst.edu
Children's Environmental Health Network. The goal of the Children's Environmental Health Network is to protect children from environmental toxicants. The Network provides testimony before legislative committees, briefings for government policy makers, comments on policy proposals, serves on government advisory boards, and provides information to members of the press. CEHN also offers a referral list of scientists, practitioners, researchers, and other experts in pediatric environmental health to interested parties. Children's Environmental Health Network, 5900 Hollis St., Suite E., Emeryville, CA 94608, (510) 450-3818, fax (510) 450-3773, e-mail mcehn@cehn.org. http://www.cehn.org
National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Founded in 1996, National
Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy provides a national presence and leadership
to raise awareness of teen pregnancy prevention. Its mission is to improve
the well-being of children, youth, and families by reducing teen pregnancy.
It is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and supported almost entirely by private donations.
http://www.teenpregnancy.org
Be Cool - Chill Out! Refrigerate Promptly. Consumer Education Planning Guide
2001. Washington, DC: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food
Safety and Applied Nutrition and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety
and Inspection Service, Sept. 2001. This is a packet of materials to be used
in promoting National Food Safety Education Month every September, which is
dedicated to safe food preparation and prevention of foodborne illness. The
packet includes ideas to promote food safety, sample ideas that have been
effectively used, sample press releases, proclamations, public service announcements,
articles, logos, and artwork. There are fact sheets and brochures in English,
Spanish and Chinese, and games and experiments for children in grades K-6.
The information contained in the packet includes how to keep cold food cold
enough for optimum safety, a cold storage chart that shows how long specific
food products can be kept in a refrigerator or freezer, and how long and what
temperature to cook particular foods such as eggs and meats. A chart lists
different bacteria, where they are found, how they are transmitted, and symptoms
of foodborne illnesses. Available at no charge from: National Food Safety
Education Month Coordinator, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and
Inspection Service, Food Safety Education Staff, Room 2944 South Building,
1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700, fax (202) 720-620-9063.
E-mail mfsis.outreach@usda.gov.
Be Smart. Keep Foods Apart. Don't Cross-Contaminate. Consumer Education Planning Guide 2000. Washington, DC: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Sept. 2000. This is a packet of materials used in last year's promotion of National Food Safety Education Month in September. The packet includes media materials, fact sheets, brochures in English, Spanish and Chinese, games and activities, and a list of additional resources. The fact sheets emphasize the importance of safe food handling, including keeping raw meat, poultry and seafood separate from already cooked foods and fresh produce. There is information on proper cooking and refrigeration for various types of foods. Available at no charge from: National Food Safety Education Month Coordinator, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Food Safety Education Staff, Room 2944 South Building, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700, fax (202) 720-620-9063. E-mail mfsis.outreach@usda.gov.
The Pittsburgh Girls Study. Pittsburgh, PA: UPMC Health System. Rolf Loeber, Principal Investigator, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. This is a longitudinal study of the behavioral development of girls based on a sample of 2,500 randomly selected girls between the ages of five and eight at the start of the assessment process in 2000. The goal of the study is to understand the process by which girls develop either positive, well-adjusted behaviors or problem behaviors over time. These studies have been accomplished for boys, but this is the first one that will focus on girls. The participating girls and their primary caregivers will participate in annual three-hour interviews in their homes for three consecutive years, and if continued funding is available, throughout adolescence as well. The girls' teachers will also complete annual questionnaires. The data collected will be analyzed to trace whether the girls develop pro-social or antisocial behavior patterns, and will remain highly confidential. If requested, treatment will be referred to the appropriate service, but the study does not provide for treatment. For more information, contact The Pittsburgh Girls Study, 200 Lothrop St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213, (412) 624-1960, fax (412) 624-1906. School professionals may call Barbara Strelec, School Data Coordinator at (412) 624-1962.
SOS High School Suicide Prevention Program. Wellesley Hills, MA: Screening for Mental Health. Douglas G. Jacobs, M.D., Executive Director. The SOS High School Suicide Prevention Program teaches teenagers about the signs of suicide and provides them with action steps for dealing with such a mental health emergency. The program's action step, ACT, stands for Acknowledge, Care, and Tell, and is taught to become an automatic response similar to CPR. Teens should acknowledge signs of suicide in a friend and take them seriously, let them know they care, and then tell a responsible adult. Participating schools receive a video and discussion guide, procedure manual, descriptions of best practices, depression screening forms for teens and parents, posters, brochures, and a public service campaign kit. The goals of the program are to help teens understand that depression and suicide are preventable, help them identify serious depression in a friend, and impress upon them that they are in the best position to prevent a friend's suicide by telling a responsible adult. Program registration is $150 per school. One thousand scholarships are available through the Ronald McDonald House Charities, and can be requested when registering. To qualify for the scholarship, a school must implement the SOS program during the 2001-2002 school year. Available from: Screening for Mental Health/SOS HS, One Washington St., Suite 304, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481-1706 (781) 239-0071 or fax (781) 431-7447. More information on mental health screening programs is available at http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org
Hawaii's Comprehensive Student Support System. Paul LeMahieu, State Superintendent of Education. Hawaii is the only state where schools are organized into a state-wide school system. Over 50% of its students have some type of educational disadvantage. The Comprehensive Student Support System (CSSS) was established in 1997 to provide a comprehensive, integrated system to promote healthy development and break down barriers to learning. Hawaii's school renewal initiative consists of three equally prioritized components: improving instruction, enhancing resource management, and enabling student support. The CSSS mission is to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity for success in school. This is supported in six areas: personalized classroom climate and differentiated classroom practices, prevention/early intervention, family participation, support for transitions, community outreach and support, and crisis/emergency support and followup. Within these arenas are five levels of intervention ranging from basic support to all students to intensive, multiple agency services for the fewer number of students who need them. Anyone may request assistance for a student. The requests are submitted to a committee, which determines how services should be coordinated based on the level of intervention needed. There is growing evidence that CSSS has been successful in aligning programs and services to be individually responsive and caring, while minimizing program duplication. For more information on CSSS, contact: Division of Learner, Teacher & School Support, Student Support Branch, Dept. of Education, State of Hawaii, 637 18th Ave., C-102, Honolulu, HI 96816, (808) 733-4401. Research evidence from CSSS is available for download from the School Mental Health Project/Center for Mental Health in Schools website at http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu
Colorado Science Education Partnership. L. Arthur Campfield, Principal Investigator, Head of Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, College of Applied Human Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. Sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, the project will stop the increase in obesity, then reduce the rate of childhood and adolescent obesity in Colorado by introducing science and math enrichment programs in elementary schools. The enrichment programs will provide interactive science and math activities related to causes, health impacts and prevention of obesity using examples from food, nutrition, healthy eating, physical activity, and body weight biology. The activities involve research scientists, chefs, farmers, dietitians, nurses, medical technologists, physicians, exercise physiologists and students studying these disciplines. Other activities include field trips, health and science fairs, community events, and visits to museums, farms, and restaurants. After evaluation and testing, successful models for school-based intervention will be replicated and disseminated throughout the state. Contact the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at (970) 491-3819 for more information.
Lessons Learned: A Grassroots Approach to Addressing HIV Infection in Schools. Washington, DC: American Nurses Association, 2001. This is a report developed as a result of the Nurses Campaign to Reduce Adolescent High Risk Behaviors, a cooperative effort among national nursing organizations, school nurses and state health and education departments. The goals of the school-based demonstration projects were to illustrate the impact of school health nursing programs and services on youth by reducing risk factors for HIV and AIDS. Ten demonstration projects are described, which used ten different approaches to helping teens understand and avoid risky behavior. Each project is described in terms of four program components: collaboration/coalition/coordination; advocacy/public awareness; youth involvement; and education. Some of the approaches used include: using games in a culturally sensitive education program, a peer education program, school-based clinics in minority high schools, a parent-directed community awareness program, and train the trainer workshops, among others. Available at no charge. Contact Shahla Ortega, Grants and Contracts Manager, American Nurses Foundation, 600 Maryland Ave., SW, Suite 100 West, Washington, DC 20024-2573 (202) 651-7231. E-mail msortega@ana.org.
Office
of School Health
University of Colorado Denver
Campus Box F-541 P.O. Box 6508,
Aurora, CO 80045
303-724-0644
• http://www.uchsc.edu/schoolhealth
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