SCHOOL HEALTH COUNCILS How to Get Action at the Local Level Dr. Maura Rossman, Medical Consultant Baltimore City Health Department Joseph Leake, Health Education Staff Associate Baltimore City Public School System

WHAT IS A SCHOOL HEALTH COUNCIL? An advisory body comprised of faculty and staff from the coordinated school health program –Health educators; physical educators; administrators; school nurses; counselors; food and pupil service personnel, sanitarians Additional members –Parents; students; members of community health agencies; faith community; business; medical professionals Members should be committed to the health of children and youth and representative of the population

WHAT IS A SCHOOL HEALTH COUNCIL? (cont.) A conduit between the school and the community, facilitating awareness of the overall school program and ensuring that it reflects the values and needs of the community it serves. –Generally consisting of about 20 people –meets throughout the school year

WHAT DO SCHOOL HEALTH COUNCILS DO? Provide support for health-related activities of the CSHP to reduce the six CDC risk behaviors Conduct assessments to determine –Student health needs and interests –Availability of health personnel and resources –Current program offerings –Parental concerns regarding student health Identify a school health coordinator

WHAT DO SCHOOL HEALTH COUNCILS DO? (cont.) Promote adoption of health-enhancing school policies Make recommendations concerning curriculum Support school health activities –Health fairs, informational workshops, staff development workshops Develop advocacy activities –Public speaking, letter writing, publicity campaigns

At the most basic level... an entity that facilitates communication and collaboration among key personnel in each of the eight school health components. School Health Councils should be...

School Health Councils should not be... … an entity that makes more work for everyone involved. Rather, it should make everyone’s work easier through open communication and appropriate collaboration.

In other words... school health councils should add “muscle” and not “weight” to coordinated school health efforts in your school system.

Our Background The school system and health department have always been two completely separate entities. The Health and Education Policy Committee had existed for many years but was primarily concerned with two CSH components - health services and psychological services. The Health Education Advisory Board had existed for many years but was only concerned with one CSH component - health education.

Our Development Key members of the health department and school system came together and laid out a design for a local school health council. - The council would have a total of 16 members. - Eight members would be employees of either the school system or health department representing each component of CSH. - Eight members would be from the community representing each component of CSH. - The council would initially be co-chaired by a member of the health department and a member of the school system.

Our Successes Key CSH personnel are now more aware of each other’s programs, assets, and needs. Collaboration on staff development and grant programs has increased among the various offices. The Parent and Community Action Board has meshed with our school health council and our health advisory board efforts by providing a permanent parent representative for both groups. A CSH advocacy video workshop for use with school staff has been produced and distributed in conjunction with the Johns Hopkins University Center for Adolescent Health. Nutrition information table tents have been placed in school cafeterias.

Networking Exchanging information for mutual benefit Ways of Working Together Himmelman’s continuum

Networking Exchanging information and altering activities Ways of Working Together Himmelman’s continuum Coordinating

Networking Exchanging information, altering activities, and sharing resources Ways of Working Together Himmelman’s continuum Coordinating Cooperating

Networking Exchanging information, altering activities, sharing resources, and enhancing each other’s capacity Ways of Working Together Himmelman’s continuum Coordinating Cooperating Collaboration

Networking Ways of Working Together Himmelman’s continuum Coordinating Cooperating Collaboration What is needed for collaboration?

 Collaboration Checklist Self assessment Organizational commitment and communication Clearly defined vision, goals, and objectives Clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and operating procedures Shared decision-making Shared risks, responsibilities, rewards Group communication

 Collaboration Checklist (cont.) Mutual respect, tolerance, trust Diversity and inclusion Evaluation and assessment Skilled leadership Capacity/competence Conflict resolution Adequate resources Early success / celebration

What is needed for change to occur? Vision Skills Incentives Resources Action Plan Change

What happens when pieces are missing? Skills Incentives Resources Action Plan Confusion Vision

What happens when pieces are missing? Vision Incentives Resources Action Plan Anxiety Skills

What happens when pieces are missing? Vision Skills Resources Action Plan Slow Change Incentives

What happens when pieces are missing? Vision Skills Incentives Action Plan Frustration Resources

What happens when pieces are missing? Vision Skills Incentives Resources False Starts Action Plan

THE EN D

Credits: Considering Collaboration, American Cancer Society (2002), Powerpoint presentation. Partners For Healthy Children - A discussion of the Benefits of Comprehensive School Health Education and the School Health Program. American Cancer Society, Pennsylvania Division. Powerpoint presentation. Communities Working Collaboratively for a Change, by Arthur Himmelman. Minneapolis: The Himmelman Consulting Group, Developing Effective Coalitions: An Eight-Step Guide by Larry Cohen, Nancy Baer, and Pam Satterwhite; Pleasant Hill, Calif. Contra Costa County Health Services Department of Prevention Program, Spring 1994, p. 4. Health Is Academic: A Guide to Coordinated School Health Programs, by Eva Marx, Susan Frelick Wooley, and Daphne Northrop; New York: Teachers College Press, 1998; p. 264.