A MDPH Message from Karen Robitaille: 
School health colleagues,
Thanks to all of you who provided feedback on testing start dates. Please know that that data, as well as your comments and clearly identified issues, are being communicated with the stakeholders. The Regional Consultants and I welcome and appreciate your feedback, which helps everyone to better understand logistical issues “on the ground”.
I’ll keep this short because, let’s face it, you are too busy to read, never mind digest, anything too verbose right now! Please just contemplate the quote above. Right now, what you are exemplifying IS courage, a characteristic best described as not the absence of fear or strife, but what we do in the face of it. Your courage may be quiet but it does not go unnoticed. Thank you for all you continue to do for your school communities. Thank you for trying again tomorrow.
With great respect,
Karen
Karen Robitaille, MBA, MSN, RN, NCSN
<she, her, hers>
Director of School Health Services
Division of Child/Adolescent Health and Reproductive Health
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
250 Washington St. 5th floor, Boston, MA 02108
karen.robitaille3@mass.gov
Cell: 781-675-0463
Personal Webex room: https://statema.webex.com/meet/Karen.Robitaille3
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2021/2022 COVID-19 Protocols and
Testing Information on DESE Website
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 Over the summer, we updated our website, and the SHIELD content is housed in one location, found here. This new website will hold your credits and certificates (same as the old site), as well as our FY22 calendar, newsletters, and nurses in the news, among other updates.
Please bookmark this link on your preferred internet browser.
Please email shieldbu@bu.edu with any questions you may have along the way! |
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"If one has courage, nothing can dim the light which shines from within." -Maya Angelou
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Managing Your CSHS Grant Budget.
This blended course is designed for School Nurse Managers new to the CSHS grant. Self-paced materials are now available, here; the live Zoom session will be Monday September 27, from 1:00-3:00pm.
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BinaxNow Training Dates Available! Visit here.
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New Mental Health Training Series!
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Please sign up for these session AFTER receiving the BinaxNOW™ test kits. Each session is limited to 20 participants (no more than 2 per district).
- 9/28/2021 from 11:00 - 1:00PM
- Additional sessions will be offered in October, dates TBD.
BinaxNOW training is not required to begin testing. Those who attended BinaxNOW training last year do not need to attend again.
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SHIELD will be offering a series of mental health trainings delivered via Zoom over the course of several months (Sept-Feb). Sessions will last about 2 hours each and will also be recorded for self-paced learning. Learners may select one or more sessions to attend. PDPs and discounts will be offered for attending the full series. For more information, see this flyer. Upcoming dates are below:
- September 22, 2021 - Registration is now open.
- October 7, 2021
- October 12, 2021
- October 26, 2021
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Mandated Reporting for CSHS Districts
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Please note the following:
- The Performance Measures for public school districts in the Affiliated and Model programs have been modified and simplified.
- SBIRT data reporting has been simplified. Starting this year, the SBIRT report only requires district-level data for each grade screened, rather than individual-level data. An Excel spreadsheet with individual-level data will no longer be used to submit the data. Instead, the data will now be collected using the same online data collection tool that we use for collecting other district-level data. As a result, the SBIRT data report has been incorporated into the Status Report.
- School districts do not need to submit their SBIRT data until 60 days after completing the last SBIRT screening for the entire district. If submitting the SBIRT data prior to submitting CSHS end-of-year data, school districts can skip to the SBIRT section of the data report by clicking the option to submit “only SBIRT data”, enter the data, and then save the report so it can be edited later. When submitting CSHS Status Report data at the end of the school year, change the option from “only SBIRT data” to “CSHS program data.”
- All the district-wide data (SBIRT, BMI, and CSHS end-of-year data) should be submitted using the same data report, although it does not have to be submitted at the same time. For example, if the SBIRT screenings are completed in December, the SBIRT data can be submitted in January and the district can wait until July 15 to submit the other annual report data. That’s not a problem, as long as the person who submits the SBIRT data saves the link to their online data record by clicking the “Save and Exit” button and saves the report-specific link the pops up on screen. Without that link, you may not be able to edit the data submission, and you would have to submit a completely new record with all of the district’s data. Additional instructions are provided on the first page of the online data tool.
- If we receive multiple data submissions from the same district, we assume that the most recent submission has corrected, updated data, and any prior submissions are discarded.
There are no changes to the Monthly report or other data collection tools.
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Mandated Reporting for CSHS Districts: Monthly Report Info
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Mandated Reporting for Non-CSHS Districts
Concussion Report Form: Not yet available.
BMI report form: BMI report. CSHS-funded districts and nonpublic schools should NOT submit a separate BMI report, as these data are included in the Status Report. Non-funded districts will use the same link that is used to access the Status Report form.
SBIRT report. CSHS-funded districts and nonpublic schools should NOT submit a separate SBIRT report, as these data are included in the Status Report. Non-funded districts will use the same link that is used to access the Status Report form.
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Mandated Reporting for ALL Schools/Districts
Asthma and Diabetes Survey questions may be directed via email to the project mailbox at DPH-BEH-Asthma@state.ma.us.
Epinephrine administration report form.
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Allowable use of CSHS grant funds for COVID-19 response during FY22:
- Consumable supplies needed to safely provide care during COVID (may include gloves, masks, eye protection, scrub/gowns), for school health staff ONLY. Not to exceed 10% of the total budget.
- Reallocation of case management staff hours to address COVID case management during school hours in the form of dedicated nursing staff performing contact tracing and/or case management for COVID cases in the school community (i.e. referral to testing, referral to community resources for isolation & quarantine) under an agreement with the LBOH.
- Health office equipment that addresses COVID-19 emergency response and that will be used in the health office, medical waiting room or AGP room (may include physical barriers and filtration units for those spaces ONLY). Not to exceed 15% of the total budget.
- Model and Affiliate grantees may also use grant funding to support staff that are conducting COVID-19 case management and/or contact tracing. This includes hiring of new staff, as well as paying stipends at hourly nursing rates for work doing COVID-19 contact tracing/case management outside of normal working hours. The intent of this expansion is to allow current nursing staff more time and flexibility to meet other CSHS grant requirements.
PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR THE APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTS:
Medication Registration: medication.delegation@MassMail.State.MA
US Return of signed CSHS purchase vouchers: cshs.pv@mass.gov
Return of CSHS amendment forms: CSHS.Amendments@mass.gov
Return of CSHS reconciliation forms: CSHS.Reconciliation@mass.gov
Using the correct email address is essential to your documents being received and processed in a timely manner. Thank you!
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First Session of the Mental Health Series
Registration is now open for the first session of the Mental Health Series on September 22, 2021. View this flyer for more information and think link to register!
Structures & Self: Advancing Equity and Justice in Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare
A learner-led, justice-informed curriculum designed to teach clinical learners to consider how systems of power and legacies of structural oppression impact their care for patients. Learners will consider how to leverage their privilege to create change on a clinical, community, and systemic level.
Working as a School Nurse During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic
28 September, 10:00 EDT - 1.0 CPD Contact Hours - In this webinar, two school nurses will discuss the major lessons learned from the challenges of managing the COVID-19 pandemic in school nursing during the 2020-2021 school year. They will describe the positive takeaways and identify opportunities for improvement for the 2021-2022 school year, including goals while working during the ongoing pandemic. Register for event here.
Nursing Professional Development (NPD) Cafe Series - 14 September 2021 through 21 October 2021
You have dedicated your career to the development of others, and now it's your turn. Welcome to the NPD Café, a six-week live webinar series presented by ANPD and Sigma. Each webinar offers a unique opportunity to take time to focus on your own professional development. For one hour a week, create the space you need to fill your professional cup. Be prepared to settle in for self-reflection and professional growth, which will ultimately make you a better resource for your teams. Learn more and register here.
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School Health Resources:
As a part of the Department’s efforts to educate the public about the dangers of vaping for youth, DPH recently launched a public information campaign for middle and high school aged youth titled Facts. No Filters. The campaign gives young people facts about the dangers of vaping, tips to help them talk to friends, and resources to quit. Learn more at mass.gov/vaping and @GetTheVapeFacts on Instagram.
