HEALTH SERVICES

GOAL

Advocate for the development of an effective system in conjunction with community partners, to meet the health needs of students, staff, and families.

Behavioral and health problems of school-age young people often hinder their ability to learn. Growing numbers of young people have health conditions that affect their school attendance and classroom performance. The extent of physical, emotional, psychological, and social problems present in some student populations is so great that the primary mission of the school – education – cannot proceed if these pathologies are not addressed (Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1989)

These services are designed to ensure access or referral to primary health care services. The services also should foster appropriate use of primary health care services, prevent and control communicable disease and other health problems, provide emergency care for illness or injury, promote and provide optimum sanitary conditions for a safe school facility and school environment, and provide educational and counseling opportunities for promoting and maintaining individual, family, and community health. Qualified professionals such as physicians, nurses, dentists, health educators, and other allied health personnel provide these services.

RESOURCES

Child Health Insurance: Health Check/Medicaid for Children & NC Health Choice
Access to health insurance plays a key role in keeping students healthy, in school and ready to learn. It makes it possible for students to access preventive and primary care, mental health, dental health and other community services and resources. It is also the first step in that student having a medical home that coordinates their care.

North Carolina offers two health insurance programs for children and youth: Health Check (Medicaid for Children) and NC Health Choice. Both offer free or low-cost comprehensive health insurance for children under the age of 19 (21 in some cases). Even a family of 4 earning $42,400 a year or more may qualify. School professionals can access everything they need to help families who have uninsured children apply for these programs through the "Partnership Page"

Dental Health Services
The NC Oral Health Section provides statewide school-based education / promotion programs including classroom education supported with educational videos and other audiovisual tools, printed activity materials and interactive exhibits. Instruction covers disease prevention, oral hygiene practices, injury prevention, appropriate diet, consumerism and professional dental care practices.
Training in the comprehensive dental health curriculum, Framework for Dental Health Education is available for all elementary teachers in the state. The training includes companion videos and study guides. The curriculum correlates with the NC Department of Public Instruction's Statewide Comprehensive Curriculum for public schools.

HEALTH SERVICES

GOAL

RESOURCES

WEB RESOURCES