Benton and Franklin Counties Health Needs Assessment on Elementary and Middle School Students

1. Benton and Franklin Counties Health Needs Assessment on Elementary and Middle School Students Angel Daniels Rodriguez MPH Student Walden University April 26, 2012

2. Mission of Public Health • Promote physical and mental health, prevent diseases, injuries, and disabilities Turnock, B.J. (2004). Public Health, What it is and How it Works. 3rd ed. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc. Sudbury, Massachusettes

3. Public Health Vision • Healthy people in healthy communities Turnock, B.J. (2004). Public Health, What it is and How it Works. 3rd ed. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc.Sudbury, Ms.

4. Methodology • Survey conducted to validate the results from the Healthy Youth Survey, confirm the WSU Nursing Students’ results, and to provide more information to the school administrators and inform the community

5. Methodology of Assessment • Based on data obtained from the Healthy youth survey conducted in 2010 • Bullying and safety were the main issues of 6th and 8th grade students identified on survey • This assessment was created using Survey monkey based on input from Les Stahlnecker, Health Administrator for ESD 123, and WSU Nursing Students questions used for their population assessment • 15 responses were obtained for the elementary school population and 10 responses for the middle school out of 40 which yields a 60% response rate.

6. Elementary School Survey Results • Average number of student population nurses are responsible for ranges from 401-600 • Hours nurses spent per week with their students ranges from 1 to 37.5 some divided among 3 schools • Major health problem in this group is lack of mental health services, Insurance, nursing staff, nutritional needs, lack of medical and dental services

7. Health Improvement Resources

8. Health –Related Issues

9. Health-related services

10. Safety Issues of Elementary Students

11. Nutrition and Fitness of Elementary Students • Budgetary implications and focus on academics are barriers to providing better nutrition/dietary education. • Students given fresh fruits/veggies at least once a day with meals • Schools are more likely to implement a fitness event like Project Aces

12. Results of Middle School Population Survey • Average number of Student population nurses are responsible for ranges from 801-1000 • Hours nurses spends per week with students is 1-35 hours • Major concerns are lack of mental health services, inadequate health care, lack or shortage of nurses in the schools, parental support, sleep, poor nutrition, use of OTC prescriptions drugs

13. Health-related issues

14. Health improvement Resources

15. Safety-Related Issues

16. Input in school improvement committees (health, nutrition, safety)

17. If your school had $250,000 a year to spend for ten years, how would you suggest it be best used to address the health needs of your population? • Mental health services • Free medical/dental services • Nutrition/obesity education • More school nurses and time with students • Health care services • Home economics/physical fitness program • Sexual health • Parenting education classes and support

18. Additional Concerns of Nursing Staff • Mental health needs and access to care. • Lack of parenting and supervision in home • Lack of staffing for health care during the school day • Obesity • I would like to see a school nurse available weekly rather than monthly. Even if total hours were the same, the frequency would allow a nurse to know students and needs better. • The lack of access to mental health evaluations and family counseling, esp to families that do not have insurance. This includes access to care for the spectrum from ADD/H to autism or specific behaviors disorders. • There is a significant gap between the medical and health needs of our school district and the funding/support given to the nurse team. District and individual school administration, as a whole, do not value the duties, responsibilities and input of thenursing staff. • Bullying is not taken seriously enough.

19. Current Services and Resources at ESD 123 • Crisis Counseling • Prevention Specialist Program • Substance Abuse Treatment Services • Tobacco Prevention Service • County Grants, Title 1 Programs, medical coupon, sliding scale fee services are available for uninsured families

20. Model Programs • Caring across communities (RWJF Grant)- addresses mental health needs of diverse children and youth in the schools • Center for Health and Health Care in schools - expanding dental and mental health services through school-based health centers • Transitional programs provide students with effective transition from primary to secondary school

21. Conclusion • Safety, particularly “bullying “ is a major concern in the elementary and middle school population identified in the Healthy Youth Survey and confirmed in both assessments • Major health problems identified in both assessments were as follows; Lack of mental health services, medical and dental health insurance, obesity, nutritional needs, sexual health, substance abuse, and healthy relationships • Both assessments identified available resources such as prevention/intervention, substance abuse programs, and community projects. • WSU Nursing assessment identified nurses as lobbyist who could help change policies and pass effective health legislation (Fajmon et al, 2012) • This survey validates this claim however, it also shows that the schools have limited nursing staff who play a vital role in the delivery of public health.

22. References Beasley, K. Derbarka, A., Rammelsberg, E., Sanchez, A. (2012). Uninsured Elementary Students. Retrieved on April 22, 2012 Caring Across Communities: Helping Immigrant and Refugee Students Succeed. Retrieved on April 20, 2012 from http://www.rwjf.org/vulnerablepopuations/products.jsp?id=60828 Centers for Health and Healthcare in Schools. Retrieved from http://www.healthinschools.org/school-based-health-centers.aspx Clipart. Retrieved on April 20, 2012 from http://images.search.yahoo.com Fajmon,C., Smith, M., McAlister,A. (2012).Benton- Franklin Community Needs Assessment, Focus: Middle School Population. Retrieved on April 22, 2012. Overview of Healthy Youth Survey 2010. Retrieved on April 23, 2012 from http://www.bfhd.wa.gov/admin/assessment.php Stahlnecker, L., Moser, C., Sutterland, R., Owen, S., Person,A. (2012) Resources of Information for Elementary and Middle School Population Surveys. Survey Monkey. Benton and Franklin Nursing Survey for Elementary and Middle School Students Retrieved on February 10, 2012. from http://www.surveymonkey.com/MySurveys.aspx. Turnock, B.J. (2004). Public Health, What it is and How it Works. 3rd ed. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc.Sudbury, Ms.