Weekly InsiderSeptember 01, 2010

The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools Weekly Insider is a web-enhanced newsletter that offers news alerts, grant announcements and general web site updates delivered directly to your email box on a weekly basis. The Center is located at the School of Public Health and Health Services at The George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

New Resources

Unlocking the Potential of School Nursing: Keeping Kids Healthy, In School, and Ready to Learn published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), discusses the status of school nurses and the disparities that exist in services around the country.

Using Data to Promote Collaboration in Local School Readiness Systems, published by the Urban Institute, reviews the results of a project undertaken by the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership to strengthen local school readiness systems.

When One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Practice and Policy Implications for Subgroups of Transitioning Foster Youth, a webinar by Chapin Hall, explores the characteristics of foster youth to help inform policies, programs, and best practices to assist these youth in their transition to adulthood.

New from the Center

Healthy Schools: A Social Justice Issue? , written by a blogger for the Neenan Company, is an new entry featured on the Center's blog. The Neenan Company works pro-actively to further health and education benefits for everyone through maximizing the possibilities of the built environment.  For more information about the topic, the Neenan Company blog or the work of the Neenan Company, please feel free to contact Kirsti@neenan.com. To check out the blog entry, click here: http://www.healthinschools.org/en/Immigrant-and-Refugee-Children/Blog.aspx.

The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools posted a new report titled Comparative Case Study of Caring Across Communities: Identifying Essential Components of Comprehensive School-Linked Mental Health Services for Refugee and Immigrant Children. The report is an evaluation of the three-year Caring Across Communities grant program managed by the Center. The report, authored by Professor Clea McNeely and her colleagues at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, explored several aspects of the program, including the challenges experienced by the children and families the CAC programs served; the necessary components of comprehensive mental health services for refugee and immigrant children; and how partnerships between schools and multiple community agencies can work collaboratively to implement the necessary components of comprehensive mental health services. To view the report, please visit http://www.healthinschools.org/Immigrant-and-Refugee-Children/Caring-Across-Communities/CAC-Evaluation-Report.aspx

The archive of our webinar presentation “Promising Models for Funding and Sustaining School Mental Health Services to Immigrant and Refugee Families” held May 20, 2010 is now available. The presenters are Mark Sander, Minneapolis Public Schools, MN., Grace Valenzuela, Portland Public Schools, ME and Audrey Tucker, Family Service Association of Bucks County, PA. This webinar featured three different school based mental health models, partnerships and funding/sustainability strategies.  All three presenters were part of the Robert Woods Johnson Caring Across Communities initiative, a national grant program that focused on school based and school connected mental health programs for immigrant and refugee students. 

Caring Across Communities (CAC), a program of the Center for Health and Health Care in Schools, is featured in a new video from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The 15 participating CAC grantees developed community partnerships that supported school-based mental health programming for students, parents, and teachers.

Supporting Immigrant & Refugee Communities (SIRC) Listserv is now active! The listserv provides an opportunity to pose questions to the field, share information, and network with colleagues nationwide. We will also share lessons learned, tools, and information gained during the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Caring Across Communities grant initiative. For more information and to sign up, click here.

Important Topic

September is Sports and Home Eye Safety Month

• Center for Health and Health Care in Schools:  Childhood Vision: What the Research Tells Us

• Kellogg Eye Center:  Prevent Eye Injuries: At Home, at School, and During Sports

• Prevent Blindness America:  Eye Safety at Home, at Work, and at Play

Upcoming Meetings

• Raleigh, NC:  Professional Grant Development Workshop: Master the techniques of writing superior and winning proposals.  September 15-17, 2010.  For more information and to register for this event, please visit: http://granttrainingcenter.com/

• Washington, DC:  Partners’ Meeting: Policy Agenda for Engaging Community.  October 1, 2010.  For more information and to register for this event, please visit: http://www.communityschools.org/

• Chicago, IL:  2010 National Refugee and Immigrant Conference: Issues and Innovations.  October 7-8, 2010.  For more information and to register for this event, please visit: http://www.thecenterweb.org/alrc/refugee.html

• Washington DC:  14th Annual Health Education Advocacy Summit.  March 5-7, 2011.  For more information and to register for this event, please visit: http://www.sophe.org/advocacysummit.cfm

• New Orleans, LA:  American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting.  April 8-12, 2011.  For more information and to register for this event, please visit: http://aera.net/

• Myrtle Beach, SC: 14th National School Social Work Conference. March 30 - April 2, 2010. For more information and to register for this event, please visit: http://www.sswaa.org/ConferenceRegistration.asp

Previously Posted Meetings

• Orlando, FL: Dropout Prevention Institute/School Attendance Symposium. October 4-7, 2010. For more information and to register for this event, please visit: http://www.dropoutprevention.org/conferen/conferen.htm#2010SchoolAttendanceSymposium

• New York, NY: 9th International Conference on Urban Health. October 27-29, 2010. For more information and to register for this event, please visit: http://www.nyam.org/icuh2010/

• Hollywood, CA: Ready to Learn Conference. November 18, 2010. For more information and to register for this event, please visit: http://edualliance.org/

• San Francisco, CA: School Psychology Research Collaboration Conference. February 20-21, 2011. For more information and to register for this event, please visit: http://www.education.ucsb.edu/jimerson/sssp.sprcc/

Job Opportunities

• Mental Health Association of Montgomery County - Mental Health Therapist (Rockville, MD)
• Family Services of Greater Boston - Child and Family Clinicians (Jamaica Plain, MA)
• National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality – Project Director (Boston, MA)
• Child Trends – Research Analyst-Child Welfare (Washington, DC)
• Clear Creek ISD – School Nurse (League City, TX)
• Nampa School District 131 – School Nurse (Nampa, ID)

Grant Alerts

Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation - Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grants (Deadline: 10/15/10)
The Lowe’s Foundation invites proposals for the fall round of Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grants. To help schools through this difficult economic time, grants are focusing on one time project needs that have the greatest and most efficient impact on school functioning.

The Greater New Orleans Foundation – Impact 2010 Grants (New Orleans, LA) (Deadline: 9/3/10)
The Greater New Orleans Foundation invites proposals for Impact 2010 Grants. Proposals should focus on the Greater New Orleans region and on youth development, health, civic engagement, arts and culture, education, and/or human and social services. The Foundation welcomes requests for general operating support, programmatic support, capacity building support, advocacy, community organizing and leadership development, and research to support specific advocacy efforts.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - Health 2.0 Developer: Blue Button Challenge (Deadline: 10/25/10)
The purpose of the Health 2.0 Developer: Blue Button Challenge is to challenge applicants to develop a web-based tool to help individuals stay healthy and manage their own care. Applicants should demonstrate how their tool is consistent with the recommended practices of the Markle Common Framework for Networked Personal Health Information in at least two of the target practice areas

News Alerts

Tobacco Use Declines Among Middle and High School Student
Tobacco use declined among middle school students from 15.1% to 8.2% and among high school students from 34.5% to 23.9% between the years of 2000 and 2009, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention August 27, 2010 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

New Resources

Unlocking the Potential of School Nursing: Keeping Kids Healthy, In School, and Ready to Learn, School District Wellness Policies: Evaluating Progress and Potential for Improving Children’s Health Three Years after the Federal Mandate, Children of Immigrants in the Child Welfare System: Findings from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being, published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), discusses the status of school nurses and the disparities that exist in services around the country. The brief highlights promising policies and funding strategies, discusses challenges faced by school nurses, and examines the potential for school nurses to positively effect student health and learning.

Using Data to Promote Collaboration in Local School Readiness Systems, published by the Urban Institute, reviews the results of a project undertaken by the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership to strengthen local school readiness systems. The project demonstrated that it is possible to develop in depth local knowledge concerning school readiness and factors effecting children’s development and that the presentation of these results helped build momentum for strengthening such systems.

When One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Practice and Policy Implications for Subgroups of Transitioning Foster Youth, published in Health Affairs, a webinar by Chapin Hall, explores the characteristics of foster youth to help inform policies, programs, and best practices to assist these youth in their transition to adulthood. An understanding of the diversity of experience among youth in the foster system is necessary to insure that quality services are implemented.

Job Opportunities

Mental Health Association of Montgomery County - Mental Health Therapist (Rockville, MD)
The Mental Health Association of Montgomery County seeks a Mental Health Therapist.  The Therapist will provide individual, family, and group counseling within a school-based collaborative program.  The Therapist will work with at-risk children and families within a prevention and early intervention program.  A successful candidate will possess a Masters degree in mental health field and a license.  Bilingual in Spanish is strongly preferred.  For more information and to apply for this position, please visit: http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/av/Job/395816-141/c

Family Services of Greater Boston - Child and Family Clinician (Jamaica Plain, MA)
Family Services of Greater Boston seeks a Child and Family Clinician.  Services are delivered in the homes and communities.  The clinician will deliver intensive strength based, therapeutic services for children, youth, parents/guardians, and at-risk families.  A successful candidate will possess a Masters degree and have (or be eligible) for licensing.  One year of experience working with children and families is preferred.  Bilingual in English and Spanish is required.  For more information and to apply for this position, please visit: http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/av/Job/395760-227/c

National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality – Project Director (Boston, MA)
The National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality (NICHQ) seeks a Project Director.  NICHQ is dedicated to improving the quality of children’s healthcare.  The Project Director will provide subject expertise, establish long-term project goals, and develop and manage project design including staffing, budget, contracts and technical requirements.  A successful candidate will have a Masters degree in a related field, nursing, public health, or management and 5-10 years of experience.  For more information and to apply for this position, please visit: http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/av/Job/395644-81/c

Child Trends – Research Analyst-Child Welfare (Washington, DC)
Child Trends seeks a Research Analyst-Child Welfare.  The position will be involved in qualitative and quantitative aspects of research projects involving vulnerable families.  Position responsibilities include the creating and developing  new projects, preparing research designs and protocols, overseeing and participating in data collection activities, and taking a lead role in writing up results.  A successful candidate will possess a Masters degree and two or more years of experience.  For more information and to apply to this position, please contact: http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/av/Job/395845-118/c

Clear Creek ISD – School Nurse (League City, TX)
Clear Creek ISD seeks a full time School Nurse to work in an elementary and high school.  The School Nurse will be responsible for promoting, protecting, improving, and maintaining student, staff, and community health through a comprehensive school health program.  A successful candidate will possess a Bachelors degree, a valid Texas Registered Nurse license, certifications in CPR and vision and hearing screenings, and two years of nursing experience.  For more information and to apply for this position, please visit:  http://www.tasanet.org/index.php?option=com_careercenter&task=offer_view&id=28762&Itemid=1018

Nampa School District 131 – School Nurse (Nampa, ID)
Nampa School District 131 seeks a School Nurse.  Position responsibilities include conducting screening and physicals, maintaining student health records, caring for injured or ill students and staff, advising on modifications in the school environment to meet the health needs of individual students, and assisting in maintaining sanitary conditions in school.  A successful candidate will have a Valid Idaho state Registered Nurse license and an Idaho Pupil Personnel Certificate endorsed for School Nurse or willingness to apply for the School Nurse Interim Certificate.  For more information and to apply for this position, please visit: http://k12jobspot.com/idaho-teaching-jobs/150530?ref=indeed.com

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