A MDPH Message from Karen Robitaille: 
Greetings From the School Health Unit!
I wanted to thank all who were able to attend our all-regions meeting last week, and a special thanks goes out to the Regional Consultants and our panelists for sharing their time, experience and hope as we continue to navigate the pandemic and all it has meant for schools. There were many great tips shared, but I’m thinking that just as helpful was hearing that you are not alone in your struggles; difficult times can be made more bearable with the commiseration and support of friends and colleagues.
That being said, we heard from a few of the panelists that their small support groups of school health colleagues has been what has gotten them through so far. I know that when I was a nurse leader, I attended a monthly meeting of nurse leaders from the Pioneer Valley, and to say I looked forward to that meeting would be an understatement! Our small group worked through many a conundrum during those meetings and I always came away feeling better than when I arrived. I know that a similar group up in Franklin County has provided some high-quality professional development over the years for school health staff that have difficulty traveling for such offerings.
I want to encourage you to find or create this for yourselves. The School Health Unit, your Regional Consultants and our school health professional development vendors can all provide larger scale learning opportunities, but sometimes nothing is as helpful as a handful of people who live the reality every day alongside you. If you are new to the school nurse or school nurse leader role, the School Health Unit and BU SHIELD are continuing to work on ways to support you. Your Regional Consultants are another great resource, and the Northeastern University School Health Academy (NEUSHA) also has many programs to support new and “seasoned” school health staff. Please know that you won’t have all of the answers, and it can take a year or more to truly feel more settled in the role. Have patience with yourself. If you are one of those “seasoned” folks, please try to reach out to those who are newer. Remember what it was like to be new to the profession and try to imagine doing that now during a global pandemic! I truly believe that other school nurses have been, and will always be, your absolute best learning opportunity.
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 |
|
|
GRANT RELATED UPDATES!!
We are (rightfully so!) getting many questions about when grant funds will be available to you for spending. As we work to hire and onboard some help for Juliet, we are definitely a bit behind “normal” years, but we hope to get caught up soon. A few target dates to note:
- The task we are currently focusing on is getting those CSHS FY 20/21 reconciliation forms completed and out to you. Because we remain delayed, we have extended the deadlines for returning these to November 30th. Please watch your email for the forms and let us know promptly if there are any changes to grant contacts or email addresses.
- New CSHS Affiliate grantees should receive award letters and contract forms soon. Again, please watch your email for these and return promptly.
- Existing CSHS Affiliate grantees will have their contracts amended next. (Please see the section later on in the newsletter regarding FY21/22 Affiliate grantee amounts.) Then we will be able to send out the purchase vouchers (PVs), which you will sign and return and then funds should be disbursed within 10 days of our receipt of your PV.
- Juliet is also currently working on CSHS Model PV’s, which should go out on or around November 5th.
- Lastly, we are still working on scoring Workforce Funding applications, then once approved, awardees will be notified, and we will work on amending those contracts.
I hope this is helpful and please know that we are working hard to get all funds out to you. I do not have exact answers as to when things will arrive right now, but as I get updated information, I will share with you.
|
|
|
|
SHIELD's annual Clinical Update will focus on the new screening vision protocols that come into effect in FY23. This program includes three recordings that learners can view on their own time, a 2-hr live Zoom session on November 2, and tools nurses can use in their districts to plan for implementing the new protocols. Registration and recordings are now open. For more information view flyer here. Recordings are now available, to register, click here.
|
|
|
Many of you have asked if there is any flexibility around the evaluation process for school nurses this year; following is the response to this request from DESE:
School Nurse Evaluations 2021-22
The expectations around meaningful supervision and evaluation for all educators remain in place in 2021-22. Educator Evaluation provides an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the excellent work of school nurses during these unprecedented times and to provide them with feedback that can help them continue to grow and strengthen their practice.
DESE recommends elevating the following key priorities in implementing educator evaluation in the 2021-22 school year:
- Collaboration: The educator evaluation process should be a collaborative, partnership-based effort between the nurse and evaluator. This means prioritizing communication, building trusting relationships, and ensuring that the evaluation is reflective of a holistic picture of the nurse’s goals, strengths, and targeted areas for growth. See the Evidence Collection resource or the Quick Reference Guide: Engaging Families in Educator Evaluation for some best practices and recommendations for this priority area.
- Coherence: We recommend focusing evaluation activities around a targeted set of Indicators from the rubric. Identifying 4-6 Focus Indicators is a powerful way to streamline goal-setting, evidence collection, and feedback around the most important priorities for nursing relative to this school year. (See the Focus Indicators for Teachers and School Leaders resources for examples of prioritizing key practices and targeted areas for feedback, support, and collaboration.)
- Culturally Responsive Practice: We believe that the educator evaluation system can and should promote efforts towards more equitable and culturally responsive schools and classrooms. This means leveraging evaluations to recognize and support nurses’ work towards improving health equity and ensuring all students’ health and safety in the return to in-person learning, as well as attending to an evaluation process that is supportive and free from bias. Here are some resources from DESE and the Department of Public Health on school health and racial equity.
|
|
|
|
2021/2022 COVID-19 Protocols and
Testing Information on DESE Website
|
|
|
“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." - Robert Collier
|
|
BinaxNow Training Dates Available! Visit here.
|
|
New Mental Health Training Series!
|
|
|
|
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).
BinaxNOW training is not required to begin testing. Those who attended BinaxNOW training last year do not need to attend again.
|
|
SHIELD will be offering a series of mental health trainings delivered pre-recorded webinars over the course of several months (Sept-Feb), ideal for self-paced learning. PDPs and discounts will be offered for attending the full series. For more information, see this flyer. Release dates are below:
- November 5th, 2021
- November 9th, 2021
- December 9th, 2021
- January 13th, 2022
|
|
|
The new vision screening protocol is now up on the BU SHIELD website for your reference and can be found here. As a reminder, schools/districts are not mandated to use this protocol until the 2022/2023 school year.
|
|
Vision Screening during COVID. The National Center for Children's Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness has updated the Considerations for Conducting Children's Vision Screening Safely in Schools, Head Start, and Early Care and Education Programs During the Covid-19 Pandemic. The resources includes a downloadable guide and FAQ. Please share these documents with your colleagues.
|
|
|
|
Mandated Reporting for CSHS Districts
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
CRAFFT+N - Talking with Students about Nicotine, Tobacco and Vaping
- Describe trends in student nicotine use including products and prevalence
- Summarize the approach of CRAFFT+N as the current state approved verbal substance use screening tool
- Examine strategies for applying the Brief Negotiated Interview with students who screen positive for nicotine use
- Locate referral resources for nicotine, tobacco, vaping
Virtual and Self-paced including 8 sections with interaction - 1.00 Participation - Register for the course here.
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
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!
|
|
|
MCH Guidelines for Asthma Overview of 2021 Changes and How These Will Impact Schools
The Kentucky Department for Public Health and Kentucky Department for Education collaborated to be able to have this offering available. The presenter, Dr. Ben Francisco reviews the basics of asthma and many new changes in treatment that the school nurse or practitioner may experience in the pediatric clinic, or school environment.
The course is free on TRAIN. Once the course is completed the nurse will receive 1.5 nursing contact hours.
Course ID: 1099543
Ben Francisco, PhD, PNP, AE-C Professor, Pulmonary Medicine & Allergy
University of Missouri School of Medicine, Department of Child Health
Director, Asthma Ready® Communities; Author, IMPACT Asthma Kids© suite of asthma disease management tools for asthma control; Past
President, Association of Asthma Educators; Teaching Professor, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Child Health, Pulmonary Medicine;
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner; Certified Asthma Educator (AE-C)
Parent & Teen Perspectives: Effective Communications & Advocacy Strategies for Adolescent Vaccination
Cost: $20.00/Free for NASN members!
Upon successful completion of this offering, participants will receive 1.0 CNE contact hours.
Program Overview: This session will explore how school nurses can implement effective communications and advocacy strategies to help support and improve adolescent vaccination in school environments. Strategies shared in this session will integrate parent, student and health provider perspectives, ensuring students and their parents remain central to the decision-making process. A teen vaccination advocate (VaxTeen) will share her experiences working to empower other teens to take an active role in their health in order to improve vaccination rates among adolescents. In addition, two mothers (including a fellow nurse) who each lost their adolescent daughters to a vaccine-preventable disease (Meningitis B) will share best practices for increasing awareness and the uptake of vaccination. In addition, samples of effective communication campaigns and resources will be shared that can be adapted for use by school nurses in their respective schools.
Register here.
3 Body Qigong: Managing Stress for Health and Healing
Sponsored by Boston Children's Hospital Pediatric Medical Services, Community Education Initiative program. Thursday December 16, 2021 - 4:30pm to 6:30pm EST - $40 - 2.0 Nursing Contact Hours/PDPs Offered - Via Zoom - For more information and to register for event visit here.
The 2021 Pediatric Diabetes Update Conference
Registration fee for this program is $90 for school nurses and healthcare professionals and $60 for BCH Staff/students. A discounted rate for retired school nurses is also available for $45. Please sign up with your full name, email address and school district/employer information and please note that when you are registering you are signing up for all 3 dates, live zoom sessions.
- Virtual Session 1: November 3, 4pm – 6:30pm (EST)
- Type I Diabetes Mellitus Core Concepts & Red Flag Situations
- Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Children & Adolescents
- Virtual Session 2: November 10,4pm – 6:30pm(EST)
- A Healthy Balance: Nutrition Considerations for Diabetes and Tips for Managing Sports/Exercise
- Psychosocial Aspects of Diabetes Care
- Patient/Parent Panel
- Virtual Session 3: November 17, 4pm – 6:30pm (EST)
- Technology Breakouts: Insulin Pumps, Continuous Glucose Monitoring, Hybrid Closed Loop/Integrated Systems
Zoom access will be sent out prior to each session. If you question your registration, please reach out to judi.naar@childrens.harvard.edu before registering again so as not to take up a second spot. View even flyer with expanded information here. Register for event here.
Educational Offerings from NEUSHA
|
|
|
|
|
School Health Resources:
