PHIC Committee on School-Based Health Winter Report

The School-Based Health sub-group is composed of individuals from the Hamilton Co. School System (administration and nursing representative), health care providers (Erlanger and HCHD) and the philanthropic community. 

We have met several times throughout Fall 2014 and have prioritized our agenda to include 2 shorter-term goals: 

1) Reducing morbidity/mortality (as measured by school absenteeism, 911 calls and/or ER visits) for Hamilton Co. students with poorly controlled/uncontrolled asthma (possible roll-out Spring 2015);

and  

2) Improving Flu vaccine uptake in Hamilton Co. students, and instituting an influenza data collection system to monitor/predict local epidemiology during flu season. (probable roll-out Fall 2015)

A longer-term goal is the implementation of one or more school-based health centers to provide better access to students with acute and chronic illnesses, ideally integrated with developmentally-appropriate health education.

Steps toward implementation of Goal #1 include:

• Obtaining funding for a health education program on lung health.
• Development of asthma-treatment protocols for school nurses (in progress).
• In-training to school nurses – January 2015
• Development of asthma data collection system for students in Hamilton county schools.
• Identification of funding sources for materials and meds for treatment in the schools.
• Communication to primary care physicians for care coordination and follow-up.
• Coordination of efforts between PHIC and Dr. Stephen Adams, Medical Director, Hamilton Co. Public Schools

Steps toward implementation of Goal #2 are under discussion.

If you would like to work on School-Based Health, please do not hesitate to contact me at melissa.hamp@erlanger.org or Kimbilee Jonas at kjonasphic@gmail.com.