A MDPH Message from Karen Robitaille: 
Greetings from the School Health Unit!
We are deep into winter now, which has always been a tough time of year when it comes to illness in the schools, even without an ongoing pandemic. I am hopeful that the new testing option being offered helps some to lighten your load. Additionally, the School Health Unit has released guidance around requesting a screening waiver, which might be helpful if your school/district meets the requirements. Please note, waiver requests should encompass your entire district; we cannot grant these on a school-by-school basis, with the exception of stand-alone schools (such as charter schools) or programs (such as collaboratives).
A REMINDER: The last FREE Zoom training on Defusing Tense Situations is coming up on February 10th, 2022 | 1:00 - 2:30PM. This offering is not being recorded and is required for CSHS grantees. If you attended a December or January session, you do not need to attend this session.
A few grant-related updates (you can skip this part if you do not receive CSHS funding):
Affiliated programs will not receive formal contract paperwork as Model and Non-Public CSHS programs do for the Workforce funding. Affiliate grantees fall under a Master Agreement and the award notification communication that I sent is the only notification of funding you will receive. However, if your school district requires a formal letter, we can make that available. Please contact Juliet Sithole-Berk at Juliet.Berk2@mass.gov.
With the Workforce Development increase, we now anticipate up to 3-4 disbursements in FY22. This means money getting to you, which starts with the Payment Voucher being emailed to you; please sign and return these ASAP. Funds will be available within 10 days of receipt of your PV; delays in returning those result in delays in getting your funds. If awarded Workforce funds, CSHS districts will see this included as part of their disbursement. The disbursements depend on how much allotment we have available on our program budget each quarter up until May 1st (when the final allotment is available).
- Models: 60% of all funding has gone out.
- Affiliated: 60% of all funding has gone out. There may be new Affiliate programs who have not yet returned contract packages; if so, we cannot start paying you until those are complete.
- Non-Public: 100% of CSHS funding has gone out. The schools that were awarded Workforce Development funds can expect 1-2 more disbursements by May 1st.
When submitting a budget amendment or final reconciliation, your Workforce expenditures will be included within your CSHS budget; however, please note in the justification column which expenditures are from Workforce funds.
One bright spot; I’m noticing the days are getting longer. The seasons WILL change, and this pandemic WILL end. Things may never be quite the same, but they will get easier. And even though some of the faces may be different, the commitment of your School Health team and the Regional Consultants to supporting you and the students and families you serve is unwavering.
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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School Nurses in the News:
SHIELD Nurses in the News Feed.
The Brookline School nurses received the following recognition at last week's school committee meeting:
Spotlight on Excellence
"This week’s spotlight on excellence is on the PSB Student Health Services team! All of our nurses have worked tirelessly to support our students, staff, and families since the pandemic began in 2020. It is also important to remind ourselves that our nurses are tackling the challenges of COVID-19 in addition to the myriad of issues experienced during a typical school day. And yet, they continue to provide the care and clinical expertise needed in any case, whether it is treating an allergic reaction, an injury in the playground, or providing our community with another dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Their contribution to the academic success of students, and of in-school learning in general, simply cannot be overstated."
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SHIELD Training Update
The BinaxNOW training has just been added to SHIELD’s website as a self-paced course. Learners can review material on their own time and then register to participate in a return demonstration with a BinaxNOW trainer. Additional BinaxNOW resources and updates can be found on SHIELD's website here.
SHIELD continues to add new trainings to its website; for a summary of all courses and upcoming events, see this one-page listing.
Recurring Support Group for School Nurses
There is a weekly virtual support group for school nurses happening every Monday night at 7 pm. Jennifer Caprio, a mental health clinician from Eliot Community Human Services (ECHS), will be hosting the sessions. The support group is open to all school nurses from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and will remain active through May 2023. This group is a safe place to discuss how you are feeling, receive support, and get wellness tips. The flyer with the Zoom link can be found here. Please email Jennifer with any questions or concerns at jcaprio@eliotchs.org.
Community Education Initiative Lectures
Boston Children's Hospital is hosting a Community Education Initiative Lecture Series throughout the 2021/2022 School Year. Upcoming sessions will cover the following topics:
- Wednesday, February 2nd: Updates in Pediatric Neurology
- Wednesday, February 9th: A Discussion of Children Who Have Spina Bifida and Cerebral Palsy
All lectures are offered via Zoom from 4:30-6:30 pm EST (unless otherwise noted). For more information, view the event flyer here and register here. Please email Judi Naar at judi.naar@childrens.harvard.edu with any questions.
Free Webinar: Care of Transgender and Gender Diverse Patients in Primary Care
Thursday, February 3rd | 12:00 - 1:00 pm EST | Zoom
Join Harvard Medical School’s Center for Primary Care for our Scaling Community Outreach in Primary Care (S.C.O.P.E.) webinar series featuring Jennifer Siegel, MD, Assistant Professor of General Internal Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, and Annie Potter, M.S.N., M.P.H., FNP-C, CARN-AP, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine presenting on Gender Informed Care. After the webinar, participants will be able to:
1. Review why transgender health is a fundamental component of primary care
2. Review terminology related to gender identity
3. Recognize the holistic needs of transgender populations, inclusive of preventative and gender-affirming medical care.
Register here.
Recorded Webinar Now Available From NEPHTC
NEPHTC recently hosted a Transgender Introductory Primer webinar and the recording is now available here.
After viewing the recording, participants will be able to:
- Understand basic terminology and theory as they relate to transgender health.
- Describe health disparities facing the transgender community.
- Identify resiliency factors, gender transition paths and support needs, and targeted best practices for serving the transgender community.
Free Webinar: Welcoming Immigrant and Refugee Students
Monday, February 14th | 12:30 - 2:30 pm EST | Zoom
Refugee and immigrant students joining our school and communities enriches the fabric of our school and community cultures. This webinar will introduce strategies for engaging youth and families in psychosocial services through genuine partnerships. In addition, the presenters will focus on frameworks for organizing mental health service planning and delivery for youth and families of refugee and immigrant backgrounds. Culturally-responsive and trauma-informed behavioral health tools that can be put into practice within diverse settings will also be highlighted.
For more information, view the event page here and register here.
All Regions Regional Meeting
The next all regions regional meeting will take place via Zoom on March 16th, 2022 from 1:00-3:00 PM. Details will be here under "Regional Meetings."
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MDPH Immunization Surveys Update
The MDPH Immunization Division has extended the deadline to submit the Immunization Surveys for every grade to March 4, 2022.
The following Immunization Surveys are now due March 4, 2022:
- Preschool/Childcare: Contact the Data Assessment Unit at immassessmentunit@mass.gov if you did not receive the preschool invitation email with links to complete the survey.
- Kindergarten: Completed in the MIIS here
- Grade 7: Completed in the MIIS here
- Grade 11: Completed in the MIIS here
- Post-secondary schools: Completed here (PINs have been sent to you in a previous email.)
Kindergarten, Grade 7, and Grade 11
Kindergarten, Grade 7, and Grade 11 immunization and flu surveys are available only through the Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS). You must be registered with MIIS to search student vaccination histories or submit these surveys; shared access across users is not permitted.
- If someone in your school/district has registered for the MIIS in a previous year, the current Access Administrator from your school/district may invite you to register (see this resource for more detail: Add Users Mini Guide). If you are unsure who your Access Administrator is or they are no longer employed, please reach out to MIISHelpDesk@mass.gov.
- If this is the first time someone from your school is registering with MIIS, please access the MIIS Resource Center to start the registration process as soon as possible. Click on the purple “Registration” button to go to the Registration page and then click “Begin Registration.” Follow the prompts to create a profile for your school and complete the required registration paperwork.
- If you need additional help registering for MIIS access, please contact MIISHelpDesk@mass.gov.
Thank you for taking the time to report compliance with the school immunization requirements.
Kind regards,
MDPH Data Assessment Unit
immassessmentunit@mass.gov
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SBIRT Training Updates
M.G.L Chapter 71 Section 97 (Verbal screening tool for substance abuse disorders) of AN ACT RELATIVE TO SUBSTANCE USE, TREATMENT, EDUCATION AND PREVENTION (the STEP Act), mandates that each public school, charter school and vocational school utilize a verbal screening tool to screen pupils for substance use disorders annually. The STEP Act makes no determination as to which school professionals perform the screening. The only requirement is that each screener complete the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) training, which is offered through Boston University School Health Institute for Education and Leadership Development (BU SHIELD). Please review school professionals’ workloads to determine who is best equipped to complete the substance use screening this year. If you have any questions on who can complete the screening in your school, please contact the MDPH Assistant Director of School Health Services, Caitlin Pettengill, at Caitlin.pettengill@mass.gov.
BU SHIELD offers a free two-part SBIRT training. The first part is online, self-paced and can be taken at any time. The second part is a live online session which is offered multiple times a month, year-round, on a continuous basis. If the posted dates will not work for your district, please reach out to Caitlin Pettengill directly. The MDPH School Health Unit is also offering an optional supplement training on vaping/nicotine. If you have taken the SBIRT course in the past, please know the optional course is not required.
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INFORMATION ON INCOMING AFGHAN EVACUEES from the Division of Global Populations and Infectious Disease Prevention, Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences | Massachusetts Department of Public Health
In late August 2021, over 100,000 Afghan nationals were evacuated from Afghanistan to military bases in the US and other transitional locations overseas. Evacuees included people who worked for the US in Afghanistan and other vulnerable individuals. Coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security, Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) is the mobilization of multiple federal agencies and non-governmental organizations to meet the immediate needs of Afghans on US bases and support their resettlement into local communities across the country.
As of December 14, over 800 Afghan evacuees have arrived in Massachusetts and we expect to welcome a total of 2,000 by mid-February of 2022. Nearly all will be connected with one of eight local resettlement agency offices in Massachusetts for initial resettlement assistance. These agencies, in turn, are working in partnership with volunteer networks to support and welcome Afghans. This outpouring of support, together with the short timeframe to prepare for resettlement and limited access to housing, has meant that Afghan families are resettling in many communities across the state and some will initially stay in temporary housing.
School enrollment is a critical step for children and families as they begin to rebuild their lives here in Massachusetts. Key points to remember include:
- Vaccines:
- Age appropriate vaccinations per ACIP guidelines were initiated for nearly all children who stayed temporarily on US bases.
- DPH is uploading immunization records from US bases to the MIIS as they become available to us.
- Additional vaccinations given in Massachusetts should be in MIIS.
- Tuberculosis screening:
- All Afghans were screened for tuberculosis on US bases. The standard was an interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) for individuals age two and older. (At least one base screened by chest X-ray only.) Persons with signs or symptoms of tuberculosis are evaluated regardless of IGRA result.
- Medical screening in Massachusetts:
- Afghans are eligible for federal assistance as well as refugee benefits and services, including initial medical screening. Arrangements should be made for medical screening by the resettlement agency. These services are delivered through a network of providers with DPH contracts. Review of records from the base as well as updating immunizations, following up on tuberculosis screening results, and connections with primary care are key components of medical screening.
Below are a few key resources that we encourage you to review.
- Archived webinars:
- Switchboard: This is the landing page for the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) funded resource hub for refugee service providers. Switchboard offers tools and materials, learning opportunities, research, and technical assistance on resettlement-related topics. Switchboard maintains a Resource Page to support Afghan arrivals.
- The U.S. Department of Education (Department) recently issued a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) to Chief State School Officers detailing information about federal funds and resources available to support Afghan children and their families, who have recently arrived or may be arriving soon to states and school districts across the country.
Thank you for your support and effort to welcome Afghan children into our school systems.
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Dear SBHC Stakeholders,
230531 School-Based Health Center Program RFR is now available on COMMBUYS and can be accessed here. The MDPH Bureau of Community Health and Prevention (BCHAP) seeks proposals from qualified vendors to sponsor school-based health centers (SBHCs) in Massachusetts. SBHCs are fully-licensed comprehensive primary care facilities that are located on-site in schools and operate as satellite clinics of their sponsor agencies (usually community health centers or hospitals). SBHCs are staffed by teams of professionals who collaborate with school communities to meet the health and behavioral health needs of children and adolescents with a special focus on those who are most vulnerable to health inequities and with the explicit goal of promoting academic achievement. SBHCs improve access to health care services for students by decreasing financial, geographic, and cultural barriers.
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Mandated Reporting for CSHS Funded Schools/Districts:
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 worksheet. 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 (public school)
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.
A worksheet for non-funded districts can be found here.
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Mandated Reporting for ALL Schools/Districts
Asthma and Diabetes Survey: This year’s survey will be sent out in February and it will be an electronic form again this year. You should be getting it by email directly from us if you are on the list of regional school nurse coordinators or, if not, you should get it through your regional network. If you have questions or if you do not receive the survey by late February, please use the following email address to contact us: ped.asthma@mass.gov.
Epinephrine administration report form.
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2021/2022 COVID-19 Protocols and
Testing Information on DESE Website
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“Turn your obstacles into opportunities
and your problems into possibilities.”
- Roy T. Bennett
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School Health Screenings for PE Teachers 
BU SHIELD is excited to announce a new course offered: School Health Screenings for PE teachers. This free course is designed for PE teachers who are assisting with BMI and postural screenings.
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New Mental Health Training Series!
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Additional recordings in this series will be released throughout the new year. PDPs and discounts are being offered for attending the full series. For more information, visit SHIELD’s website here.
If you have SHIELD credit, it can be used for these courses. Please email BU SHIELD at shieldbu@bu.edu with any questions!
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 Youth Mental Health First Aid
The Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) class is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis.
YMHFA is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders.
Date and Location: Due to the pandemic, this class is a blended learning program. Participants will complete 2 hours of self-paced work in advance of the YMHFA class. The individual work will be followed up by a 4.5 hour group class that will be held online.
Here are the dates for upcoming sessions:
- February 7, 2022; 9:30am - 3:00pm (Register by 1/31)
- February 23, 2022; 9:30am - 3:00pm (Register by 2/16)
- March 15, 2022; 9:30am - 3:00pm (Register by 3/8)
- April 4, 2022; 9:30am - 3:00pm (Register by 3/28)
- April 26, 2022; 9:30am - 3:00pm (Register by 4/19)
Cost and Registration: This event is provided free of cost with grant funding from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Space is limited. Please pre-register.
For more information, visit this link or contact Erin Sullivan at esullivan@collaborative.org.
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New Vision Screening Protocols (to begin in FY23)
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. Additional health screening resources can be found here.
New Vision Screening Course is now open! The November Clinical Update focused on the new vision screening requirements. This course was recorded and is now available for self-paced learning. This course is ideal for districts to use as a local professional development option. To access the course, follow this link.
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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.
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COVID-19 Update:
MDPH has created a new webpage for pediatric vaccine information for the newest age group expected to gain vaccine approval.
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This webpage will be updated as more information is available. Vaxfinder will also be updated as pediatric vaccine becomes available for this age group.
Standing order template for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine: 5 Through 11 Years of Age:
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine: 5 Through 11 Years of Age • Standing Orders for Administering Vaccine (cdc.gov)
New Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Reminder: AAP COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign Toolkit
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has created a COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign Toolkit to assist pediatric healthcare professionals in addressing parent and caregiver COVID-19 vaccines questions and concerns. The Toolkit includes articles, graphics, social media messages, and videos. It is designed to reach parents and caregivers, who have not yet vaccinated their eligible children, to encourage them to talk to a trusted provider.
New: The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has updated its Children & Youth with Special Health Needs (CYSHN) and the COVID-19 Vaccine webpage to include FAQs for vaccinating this population.
New: The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association has released its Winter Masking Guidelines, which will be a continuation of the fall guidelines: Student-athletes, coaches, and officials that are indoors shall be masked. Read more here.
Lyft Offering Free or Discounted Rides to Vaccine Appointments: Getting access to the vaccine is a struggle for many. Lyft is mobilizing partners and community members to help provide access to millions of riders to and from vaccine appointments. Learn more and see if Lyft is available in your community here.
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CDC's School-Location Vaccination Clinics: Best Practices for School Districts
 This guide provides a roadmap for school district administrators to work directly with local health departments and other vaccine providers (e.g., pharmacies) to set up vaccination clinics in places that K–12 students and their parents know and trust. Find the resource here.
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The MDPH Immunization Division hosted a
Live Q&A: Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccination
Below are some of the additional information they provided.
Information on COVID-19 Vaccine storage, handling and administration access full training resources and supplemental resources below:
- MDPH COVID-19 Vaccine Training
- On 10/29/2021, the FDA amended Pfizer-BioNTech’s Emergency Use Authorization to allow the vaccine to be administered to children ages 5 to 11 years. FDA resources are available at:
For Individual case questions, please refer your questions to your local board of health. If you are unable to reach them, please call the Mass Epidemiology Line here: (617) 983-6800
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You may be seeing student and staff COVID-19 vaccination records, including those from other countries. AN IMPORTANT NOTE IN REGARD TO FOREIGN VACCINATION RECORDS: Unlike other vaccinations where we accept whatever the foreign formulation is, the U.S. is currently only accepting WHO-approved COVID vaccination formulations. Here is the link to the list of COVID-19 vaccines within the WHO EUL/PQ evaluation process; any vaccine marked “finalized” is accepted in the U.S. Please note, nurses should check this information frequently, as it is subject to change.
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Your students might appreciate this course designed by researchers at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development in partnership with Medway Public Schools: Stress and COVID-19: A Course for Teens
For School Health Professionals: The Emotional PPE Project connects healthcare workers in need with licensed mental health professionals who can help. No cost. No insurance. Just a trained professional to talk to.
More Self-Care Resources can be found on SHIELD's Website here.
Massachusetts tool to locate vaccination sites and open appointments by zip code.
Vaccine Communication Resources (18 and younger)
New COVID-19 vaccination for youth ages 12+
- For details, including information on parental consent, and FAQs, visit here.
- Youth aged 12 and above may be preregistered here.
- COVID-19 vaccine graphics for teens and young adults.
Public Service Announcements
- MA Medical Society newly-elected Massachusetts Medical Society president, Dr. Carole Allen, recorded video urging parents to get their children vaccinated.
- @MassDPH
Clinical Considerations from the CDC found here.
COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet for Preteens and Teens can be found here.
School Nursing Staff may also find this contact tracing data collection spreadsheet.
The testing standing order template can be found on the BU SHIELD website front page under "COVID-19 Resources Page".
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For key information about managing COVID-19 in Massachusetts, see these websites.
SHIELD COVID-19/BinaxNow Resources.
MDPH Website.
SHAH Family Foundation Pooled Testing Website.
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For additional resources surrounding COVID-19, visit these websites.
NASN COVID-19 Resources.
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