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Establishing a School Health Coordinating Council
B. PERSONS TO INCLUDE ON A SCHOOL HEALTH COUNCIL
Often, members of a school health council will not have had much experience working together. In addition to the schools, private and public health departments, social services departments, community colleges and universities, hospitals, and business and labor groups are likely to be represented.
A school health council should include representatives from the following groups:
- The school (the interdisciplinary school health team* coordinator, representatives of those responsible for each component of a coordinated school health program, administrators, teachers, and students and their families)
- School-based student health center care professionals
- Community health care providers (medical, dental, mental health, substance abuse)
- Hospitals
- Human service agencies (including public health, social services, and child protection)
- Community government (including law enforcement)
To ensure maintenance of a working partnership, a defined association of the persons involved in a comprehensive delivery system is recommended. School health councils composed of interested and informed community members, can provide the structure and mechanisms necessary to coordinate existing services and expand them to meet identified needs. School districts with operating health councils have deemed them essential to the promotion and continuation of school health programs.
The benefits gained from school, parent, and community partnerships are numerous. School districts have noted increased financial support for school health and other programs, backing for controversial programs, and more students and families with increased health knowledge and healthier behaviors.
