It is clear that poor child health negatively impacts school learning and academic achievement. Children who experience poor health have significantly poorer adult outcomes, such as lower education attainment, adverse health conditions, and lower social status. How we support our children now will affect the future health of the state’s economy, communities, and population. Improving school health services is an important population health issue essential to improving our children’s health. The vision of Healthiest Wisconsin 2020 is Everyone Living Better, Longer. School health services can assist Wisconsin in achieving the Healthiest Wisconsin 2020 goals of “improving health across the life span, and eliminating health disparities and achieving health equity.”

2007-2008:

Determining the Status of Wisconsin

School Health Services

In 2007-08 multiple state-wide partners collaborated on a project to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of school health services in Wisconsin. The project, "Determining the Status of Wisconsin School Health Services Project" was funded through a grant from Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program (HWPP). Interviews and surveys, conducted with multiple stakeholders including school nurses, pupil service directors, superintendants, school board members and parents, were used to assess the current state of school health services in Wisconsin. The results of the project identified that current school health services were generally perceived as inadequate. In addition, it was noted that there has been an increase in severity and complexity of student health issues which have not been met with corresponding increases in school health services.

Click on the link to access the full report:

Healthy Child=Healthy Learner= Academic Achievement
Recommendations to Improve School Health Services in Wisconsin

2011-2016:

Developing a School Health Assessment Tool

and Related Resources

In an effort to address some of the needs identified in the previous project, the project partners have continued their work in school health and are collaborating on “Developing a School Health Services Assessment Tool and Related Resources”. This is a 5 year project funded by the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program. The project goal is to increase the competency and capacity of local school health services systems.

The results of the state-wide assessment will be used to:

identify where the greatest school health services gaps are;
identify a plan to address the identified gaps;
increase school districts' competency and effectiveness in identified areas;
develop resources such as:
- protocol templates for injury management, illness management and medication administration;
- example pandemic plans
- webinar series on applicable statutory mandates and related school health policies.

Click on the name below to access more information on each of the project partners:

The resources developed as a result of the assessment will ultimately benefiting school children who are greatly impacted by the decisions that schools make.

The Assessment Tool is divided into the following sections:

Policies and Procedures

Health Services

Communicable Diseases

Pupil Records

Crisis/Safety Planning

CPR/AED

Nursing Services

Services

Nursing Services

Medication Administration

Pupils with Special Healthcare Needs