The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted children's mental health, with an increase in referrals for children with behavioral concerns and aggression, depressive symptoms, and school refusal. This influx has made it challenging for teachers to return to the classroom and is placing additional strain on a healthcare system that is already…

Chronic absenteeism is associated with poor health and educational outcomes. School nurses have great potential to address the health and educational needs that contribute to absenteeism. Through qualitative analysis of interviews with school nurses, we characterize their current role in reducing absenteeism and identify barriers 3 that limit…

The increasing rate of food allergies in children, combined with the role of food as an integral part of the school day has led to the emergence of anaphylaxis as a daily threat to students, regardless of prior allergy diagnosis. Stock epinephrine--non-patient specific epinephrine auto-injectors that may be used during emergencies--is a means for…

Community colleges and the broader U.S. higher education system are struggling to respond to rising rates of mental health problems among students. Without adequate mental health supports, students risk a wide variety of serious and lasting consequences. Confronted with these issues, federal, state, and college officials lack research guidance…

Rising rates of individuals with mental illness in the United States have policymakers, education officials, and medical professionals worried about the need for additional support for struggling college students--and the ability of higher education institutions to provide it. Many colleges have designed and implemented a variety of interventions…

Systems to organize academic outcomes data are integrated into schools; and while behavioral data, instruction tools, and systems are emerging, a clear gap remains (Lane, Oakes, & Menzies, 2010). Behavioral health has historically targeted resources at an individual level, and transitioning to a systems perspective of prevention and…

In this article, the impact of two major disasters (Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil rig fire and subsequent oil spill) on residents of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are discussed. An overriding concern as expressed by the recently released report issued by the National Commission on Children and Disasters, 2010 "Report to the…

Although widely misunderstood, Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector borne disease in the United States. Children are the most at-risk group for Lyme disease, which can impact every system in the body. It can produce the musculo-skeletal, neurologic, psychiatric, opthalmologic, and cardiac symptoms. The symptoms of Lyme disease can have a…

Project Fleur-de-lis[TM] (PFDL) was established to provide a tiered approach to triage and treat children experiencing trauma symptoms after Hurricane Katrina. PFDL provides school screening in schools in New Orleans and three tiers of evidence-based treatment (EBT) to disaster-exposed children utilizing a public health approach to meet the…

Introduction into federal policy of response to intervention (RTI) and positive behavior intervention and supports (PBIS) led to widespread adoption and adaptation of the three tier intervention pyramid. As originally presented, the pyramid highlights three different levels of intervention and suggests the percent of students at each level. While…

Much student discontent stems from the chaos, impersonality, and frenetic pace of the university bureaucracy. Mental health professionals have an important and legitimate role to play in overcoming these conditions and in helping to humanize the university. But such a role entails a radical reassignment of priorities and a new image, especially…

The importance of specific competencies and knowledge areas needed by bachelor level community health educators was examined through a survey of 67 practicing health educators in Maine who were members of public health educator associations. Respondents ranked 99 competencies in order of their perceived importance to professional practice. Results…