School Health Services Update: November 14th, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

It’s been a very busy week…and with the upcoming holidays, I’m sure it’s been busy in your offices as well!  We know that holidays are not always the happy times we wish they were for all children.  Thanks for keeping your door – and hearts – open to all children in need.

It has been a pleasure to see so many of you at our Regional Meetings!  Thank you for your attendance and participation at these essential networking and consultation programs!  And it was wonderful to have so many attend the CSHS Bidders Conferences as well as those who “listened in” online!  Thank you for your interest in this funding for School Health Services!

• If your school or district has not yet submitted your 2017-2018 SBIRT data, a reminder that the deadline was September 30, 2018 and it is past due! The SBIRT Data Collection Tool (with instructions for submission) can be found at: https://www.masbirt.org/sbirt-information/school-sbirt under the heading “Administrative Data Forms” DPH Data Collection Form (single screener) or DPH Data Collection Form (multiple screeners) 

And a final reminder of the December 5^th Statewide ESHS Nurse Leader Meeting in collaboration with School Mental Health Providers!  Please be sure to register online at: https://www.bucme.org/live/7177

We have so much to be thankful for…as I am sure you do as well!  Enjoy the upcoming holiday and I hope you are able to spend it in whatever way you choose!
The School Health Team,

Mary Ann, Caitlin, Alison, Janet and Bob

SCHOOL NURSES IN THE NEWS!

Our CONGRATULATIONS Karen Rufo  MS, RN, PPCNP-BC, Nurse Leader for the  Natick Public Schools who was recently awarded the  Massachusetts School Nurse Administrator of the Year 2018  by the Massachusetts School Nurse Organization (MSNO) Awards and Scholarship Committee. Congratulations to Karen on this prestigious award for all of her amazing, exhaustive work for the students and families of the Natick Public Schools and for her demonstration of school nursing leadership across the Commonwealth!  Pictured below is Karen and the school nursing staff from Natick Public Schools.

Below please find the article related to the discussion at a recent Mashpee Board of Health meeting concerning the banning of vaping and the flavored tobacco products in which Stacey Schakel, MSN, M.Ed, CAGS, RN, NCSN, provides support for this ban:

https://www.capenews.net/mashpee/news/mashpee-board-of-health-may-ban-flavored-tobacco/article_eb665203-ad97-576b-b971-d7b49847e58f.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share  As an update, the Mashpee BOH voted to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products effective 12/28/2018.  Stacy has also developed a Vaping 101 presentation for students with a pre and posttest as well as a parent/ staff training.  She is willing to share with anyone who is interested.  Stacey can be contacted directly at:  sschakel@mpspk12.org or by phone at 508-539-1520  x5104.

Check out the Wilmington Community TV program featuring Jane Ferrara, MA, BSN, RN, http://wilmington.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=ca5f386b-1893-4007-92f7-1d5ba338a362&nav=recent

18TH ANNUAL MASSACHUSETTS SUICIDE PREVENTION CONFERENCE CALL FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS

We are excited to release the Call for Workshop Proposals for the 18th Annual Massachusetts Suicide Prevention Conference on May 1st & 2nd, 2019 at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Framingham, MA. The theme of the 2019 conference is: Innovations in Suicide Prevention.

Below is the link for the Call for Workshop Proposals. The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2018 at 11:59 pm EST. No late submissions will be accepted. Please feel free to contact the Massachusetts Suicide Prevention Program with any questions regarding this call for workshop proposals. We look forward to receiving your submissions and seeing you in Framingham, Massachusetts.

https://goo.gl/5LiN2j

UPDATE TO REQUIRED TRAINING FOR SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION

The Board of Registration in Nursing (Board) continues to receive many calls regarding the issue of complying with the law that requires training for health care providers on the issue of domestic and sexual violence as a condition of licensure (M.G.L. c. 112, § 264). DPH’s Division of Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention and Services has developed a training that meets the requirements for licensure. This e-Learning tool can be accessed from DPH’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Integration Initiatives website:  https://www.mass.gov/service-details/domestic-and-sexual-violence-integration-initiatives .

The Board will not hold a nurse responsible for the required training until it is available. Nurses who renew after November 7, 2018 will have an additional six months from the date of license renewal to complete the training. Nurses who have renewed prior to the release of the training must complete the training prior to their next license renewal. A nurse participating in a currently approved in-person training program will be considered to have met the requirement and does not need to take the online course by DPH. Refer DPH’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Integration Initiatives website.

MDPH LAUNCHES PROGRAM TO PROMOTE HEALTHY CHOICES, PREVENT SUBSTANCE MISUSE AMONG NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH

Please see the link below to the press release regarding a new program DPH announced  that will provide substance misuse and prevention support services for Native American youth in the Commonwealth. https://www.mass.gov/news/massachusetts-launches-program-to-promote-healthy-choices-prevent-substance-misuse-among

TELE-BEVAVIORAL HEALTH GRANT AWARDED TO ATHOL HOSPITAL FOR PILOT AT ATHOL, MAHAR HIGH SCHOOLS

​Athol Hospital has been awarded a $1.05 million grant to bring tele-behavioral health services to students at Athol High School and Ralph C. Mahar Regional High School in Orange, hospital officials announced Friday.  The Evidence-based Tele-behavioral Health Network Program grant, supported by the Health Resources and Service Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is part of an award financed with nongovernmental sources.

The program will use interactive videoconferencing to increase access to behavioral health services for school-age children and their families in a convenient and nonthreatening setting, according to a hospital news release. Program staff hope to deliver high-quality and effective behavioral health services that demonstrate improvements in clinical outcomes and functional performance of students with social-emotional problems and behavioral health conditions, while reducing costs and minimizing use of more expensive health services.

The demand for mental and behavioral health services among children and adolescents is growing, according to clinicians and educators. But families, particularly in rural communities and small towns, have a hard time getting services.

The project is a partnership among Athol Hospital, Athol Regional School District, Ralph C. Mahar High Regional School District, Pioneer Valley Regional School District, Heywood Healthcare’s Quabbin Retreat and the Northeast Telehealth Resource Center.  Tele-behavioral health services provided at Athol and Mahar Regional high schools will be evaluated and compared to behavioral health treatment provided as usual to students at the Pioneer Valley Regional High School.​

REGIONAL CONSULTANT CONTACT INFORMATION:

Mary Ann Gapinski, MSN, RN, NCSN
Director of School Health Services/ School SBIRT Coordinator
MA Department of Public Health
250 Washington Street – 5^th Floor
Boston, MA  02108
mary.gapinski@state.ma.us
Website: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/community-health/primarycare-healthaccess/school-health/
SBIRT information:  www.masbirt.org/schools