A MDPH Message from Karen Robitaille: 
I’m “cheating” again with my message and sharing with you the message from last week’s NASN newsletter from the new NASN President, Linda Mendonça:
President's Message
One in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year, but less than two-thirds get treatment.
Our mental health is a huge part of overall health but often takes a backseat to other health issues or even everyday life. As we move into another winter with COVID-19 in our schools, we need to be aware of the mental strain on ourselves, our colleagues, and our students.
The National Alliance on Mental Health released its theme for this year's Mental Illness Awareness Week, October 3-9: “Together for Mental Health.” Now more than ever, we need to come together for our mental health. If you need help, please don't hesitate to reach out to a trusted confidant or mental health professional.
Linda Mendonça, DNP, RN, PHNA-BC, NCSN, FNASN
NASN President
BETTER HEALTH. BETTER LEARNING. ™
We are all collectively feeling the strain of this pandemic. How we cope with our stress and feelings depends on a variety of factors: experience, past traumas, other life stressors, physical illness, support system, etc, etc. AND, our ability to cope can also feel different from day to day. I implore you to pay good attention to yourselves, and if you feel as though you are not able to cope, or are using coping mechanisms that don’t feel right, please reach out and ask for help.
I am so proud to tell you that my father was on the Board of Directors of NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness Massachusetts, for many years. My father is a man that deeply believes in being of service, and this particular commitment was one of his favorites over a long “career” of service commitments. The NAMI MA COMPASS helpline is a great place to start if you are having trouble accessing mental health services for yourself, a loved one or a member of your school community.
October 3-9 may be Mental Illness Awareness week, but as school nurses we know that mental health IS health, and mental health matters EVERY DAY.
Please be as good to yourselves as you are to others.
In gratitude for all you do,
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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Brockton School Nurses make National News in Multilingual Outreach to combat Covid.
"Learn how Brockton Public Schools in Massachusetts has made multilingual health services available for its families and how their support network mobilized during COVID-19."
Check out the article here.
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2021/2022 COVID-19 Protocols and
Testing Information on DESE Website
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“For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.” — Michelle Obama
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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 sessions AFTER receiving the BinaxNOW™ test kits. Each session is limited to 20 participants (no more than 2 per district).
- 10/06/2021 1:00 - 3:00pm
- 10/14/2021 10:00 - 12:00pm
- 10/27/2021 1:00 - 3:00pm
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:
- October 7, 2021 - Registration is now open!
- 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
The link to the Monthly report survey is here and the end-of-year Status Report 21/22 survey is here. All reporting forms, worksheets and instructions were sent out to districts by Bob Leibowitz and worksheets for the monthly report can also be found here, and here is the CSHS end-of-year Status Report 21/22. Questions related to CSHS mandated grant reporting should go to: DPH_ESHS_data@MassMail.State.MA.US
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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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GREAT NEWS! CSHS Affiliate grantees will see another boost in their funding this fiscal year; districts originally funded at $3000 (who got $10,500 in FY21) will receive $14,000 for FY22. Districts originally funded at $5000 (who got $20,000 last year) will get $29,600 in FY22. Model amounts will remain the same as last year. Non-public grantee amounts may have changed; email Juliet or Karen if you have any questions regarding your funding amount.
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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 second session of the Mental Health Series on October 7, 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.
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.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine Training: Storage, Handling, Administration and Safety
The MDPH Immunization Division is pleased to present the following FREE accredited COVID-19 Vaccine content. Please note: a certificate of completion will be awarded immediately upon completion of all training modules. Here's the link access the COVID-19 vaccine training here.
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School Health Resources:
