Pandemic, Partnership and Planning

Rebecca King RN, MSN, MEdSchool Health Services Coordinator

WVDE-Office of Healthy Schools Coordinator

Pandemic, Partnership and Planning

WV Department of Education

WV State Board of Education(Promulgate educational rule for PreK-12,

adult vocational, institutional education facilities and the school for the deaf and blind)

State Superintendent

of Schools

WVDE Offices

Deputy Superintendent

RESA OEPA

Programs in the WVDE-Office of Healthy Schools

• ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION• COORDINATED SCHOOL PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS• DRIVERS EDUCATION• FITNESSGRAM• HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION• HEALTH DATA COLLECTION• HEALTH EDUCATION ASSESSMENT PROJECT (HEAP)• HEALTH SERVICES• REGIONAL SCHOOL WELLNESS SPECIALISTS• POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE• SCHOOL HEALTH PROFILES• STD AND TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION• STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT / DISCIPLINE• SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND TOBACCO PREVENTION• YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY/YOUTH TOBACCO SURVEY

Coordinated-School Public Health Partnership

Bureau for Public Health

Unheard of…..Health and Education

The Beginnings…

Planning• State and local public health

extensive Pan-Flu planning set the framework– Relationships developed– General plans in place– Started the pandemic with a comfort

level yet many unknowns existed

April 2009 H1N1 Memo

“It is essential that schools work with their local health

departments in protecting the health of students, staff and

community as well as keeping parents and students informed”.

Partnership Beginnings• Developing guidance documents tailored to

WV prior to CDC documents being finalized together (field trips, school closures, school-located vaccination clinics, memos, conference calls, webinars and tools).

• WVDE and WVDHHR speaking with one voice (press release, continuous contact, briefings, management of emails and calls, etc.).

• A unified front with respect and trust.

Communications

• Moving the message throughout the state to LHDs and schools.

• Understanding of the documents.• Autonomy of county plans to control

H1N1 spread.• Building relationships.• Defining laws and policies including

licensure.• Educating parents and students.• Expertise and Safety

Challenges• The Nature of the Beast causing a need for

action without any planning.• Trust• Building nonexistent relationships to

forging relationships/partnerships at times.• Respecting the expertise of agencies and

partners involved in School-Located Vaccination Clinics.

• Overload to an already stretched work force in public health and schools.

Overall Impact

• Control of spread• Early identification• Superintendent and staff education• Student and Parent education• Overall positive results for both the

community and schools.• Continuation of partnerships.• Understanding and respect of rules,

roles and relationships.

Overall Impact

• Schools saw an increase in test scores in 2009/10 school year.

• Schools seem to have seen decreases in overall absenteeism in 2009/10 school year.*

*Based on qualitative data.

How do we get there?

Working Together for a Healthier Community

• Working relationships to improve student and staff health and education.

• Capitalization of funding sources.

• Training of school personnel to recognize early signs and symptoms of communicable diseases, immunization rule compliance, provide fluoride rinse programs, health promotion programs, enhancing health and physical education, physical activity, nutritional programs, relationships with private medical providers, filling in the resource gaps, etc.

Together WE Can Make a Difference

THANK YOU for your hard work and partnership!

Rebecca KingWVDE

School Health Services Coordinator

rjking@access.k12.wv.us

304.558.8830