Motivating Pediatricians to Become
Involved in School Health

• History of School Health
  
• Government Involvement
  
• Scope of School Health Programs
  
• Pediatricians' Roles
  
• Seven Skills for Pediatricians
  
• Understanding School Culture
  
• Getting Started
  
• The Business of School Health

History of School Health

• End of 19th Century
  • Attendance mandatory
  • Large immigrant population
  • Infection screening and vaccinating
• End of World War I
  • State legislation
  • Nursing services extended
  • Medical, dental, and social services provided

History of School Health (cont'd)

• 1920s to 1970s
  • Preventive services separated from treatment
  • Classroom health and physical education
  • Nursing services expanded
• Recent Decades
  • War on poverty
    
  • Medicaid
  • Education for Handicapped Act
  • "New Morbidity"
  • Training programs for nurse practitioner

Federal Government

• Drug Free Schools and Communities Act
• CDC-DASH and MCHB funding
• Medicaid and EPSDT services
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

State Government

• Standard setting
  • Environmental services
  • Health education programs
  • Health services

Local Government

• Most profound effect
• Sets school's involvement in health education services

Coordinated School Health Program

• Health and physical education
• School health services
• Nutrition services
• Healthy school environment
• Counseling services
• Health promotion for staff
• Parent and community involvement

Correlation Between Health and Education

• School achievement is affected by children's health
• Health is affected by what children learn and do at school

Why Get Involved?

• That's where the kids are
• Knowledge of growth and development
• Influence
• Coalition building
• Advantage working with children
• Valued by community
• Influence on health education curricula

Seven Skills of School Health Pediatricians

• Consulting with schools on health issues
• Drafting and revising school policies
• Consulting with schools about health education
• Communicating health messages
• Serving on school health councils
• Assessing community needs and determining service parameters
• Evaluating school health programs

Differences in the Educational
and Health Care Systems

• Priorities
• Languages
• Timelines
• Structures and hierarchies

Guidelines for Working With Schools

• Timing is important
• Respect colleagues' interests and abilities
• Facilitate open communication
• Do some homework

Who Are the Players in the School System?

• School superintendent
• Assistant superintendent
• Principal
• Vice principal
• Classroom teacher
• Special educator
• Speech/language specialist
• School nurse
• Counselor School psychologist
• Social worker
• Outreach worker
• Health educator
• Teaching aide
• PTA member

The School Nurse

• School nursing team
• State requirements and regulations
• Education level Responsibilities

What Role Can Pediatricians
Have in School Health?

• Advocate
• Consultant or trainer Advisor
• Referral agent
• Recipient of referrals
• Communication link for parents and schools
• Health educator

How Can Pediatricians Be Resources?

• Developing health alerts or bulletins
• Visiting schools
• Encouraging collaboration among pediatricians
• Conferring with school physicians
• Donating time for screenings and physicals

The First Steps for School Involvement

• Find out what the school district is already doing
• Interact with the school nurse
• Join the school board or health advisory council
• Volunteer to review, revise or draft school health policies
• Volunteer to do a health screening or a clinic
• Advocate for k-12 health education curricula

The First Steps for School Involvement (cont'd)

• Assist schools with staff health promotion
• Develop a program for health care professionals in training
• Assist in evaluating the school health program
• Advocate for improved school health programs
• Assist in a community needs assessment Identify references

Define Parameters of Involvement

• Decide on a time commitment
• Clearly define a role
  • Consultant, interventionist, or other?
  • What can the school expect from you?
  • What does your training or teaching support?
  • What difference can you make?
• Identify communication issues

Prepare an Action Plan

• Scope of involvement
• Formal business language and legal review
• Reimbursement Other issues

Summary

• History of school health
• Overview of components
• Unique aspects of school culture
• How to work with school personnel
• Roles that pediatricians can play
• Steps to becoming involved