| Resource: Copies of "Policies Related to Asthma, School Health Services, and Healthy Environments" now available |
REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS: Dissemination of a new policy guide on Asthma, Schools Health Services, and Healthy Environments Applications are due Friday, May 27, 2005
The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) and the National School Boards Association (NSBA) have time-limited funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to disseminate complimentary copies of "Part III: Policies Related to Asthma, School Health Services, and Healthy Environments," a new 80-page chapter of NASBE's "Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn: A School Health Policy Guide".
Associations, agencies, and other organizations are invited to submit proposals to distribute multiple numbers of copies (25 or more) to members or constituents who are likely to use the policy guide to improve policies, programs, or services at the state or school district level. Examples of the intended audiences include school board members, district administrators, school nurse supervisors, school physician advisors, asthma program leaders who collaborate with school decision makers, etc. NASBE estimates that we will be able to disseminate a total of about 12,000 copies of the publication at no cost to the recipient. Requests for single copies or smaller quantities cannot be entertained in this one-time offer.
As of this writing the publication is still being printed so we cannot send an advance copy for your review. However, the sample policies at the heart of each section can be viewed online at www.nasbe.org/HealthySchools/Sample_Policies/Sample_Policies.html. As with the prior chapters of "Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn", the full publication provides research-based explanations of the sample policies, actual policy examples, and lists of key resources. See "About this Chapter," below.
Successful applicants will have the opportunity to either: 1) submit contact information for individual recipients in database format (e.g., Excel or Access) for direct mailing from NASBE that can include a cover letter from your organization; or 2) request bulk copies for dissemination at workshops, conferences, or other internal channels with the promise to provide individual contact information at a later time so that NASBE can conduct user evaluations. We cannot reimburse other organizations' dissemination costs. All funds for this activity must be fully expended by July 14, which limits our ability to negotiate individual circumstances.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Interested organizations should submit a simple application by the end of business on Friday, May 27, 2005 by fax to (703) 836-2313, attention Jim Bogden, or by e-mail to asthma@nasbe.org. The application should include the following information:
* Organization/agency name, address, and contact person
* Number of requested copies and choice of dissemination method (e.g., direct mail from NASBE to the recipient, or distribution through the organization's own channels)
* Brief description of the intended recipients and why they are likely to use the publication to help improve state or district policies, programs, or services.
* Brief description of any associated activities intended to help recipients improve state or district policies, programs, or services.
* Brief description of any planned follow-up activities.
REVIEW PROCESS:
Each application will be reviewed, scored, and prioritized by a committee of NASBE, NSBA, and CDC staff members. The committee reserves the right to reduce an organization's request to minimize duplication of overlapping audiences or to fit within the overall number of available copies.
If your application is accepted, we will immediately contact you to obtain the necessary distribution information. This information will be needed promptly so as to meet the July 14 expenditure deadline. Again, you will have the choice to:
1) submit the mailing addresses of individual recipients in a database format (e.g., Excel or Access) and provide a cover letter on your organization's stationary if you wish; or
2) request bulk copies with the promise to provide individual contact information for NASBE evaluation purposes.
NASBE is looking forward to working with you to improve schools' responses to students with asthma and other chronic health conditions. Feel free to pass this message along anyone else you think might be interested.
James F. Bogden, MPH
Safe and Healthy Schools Project Director National Association of State Boards of Education 277 S. Washington Street, Suite 100 Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 684-4000 x108
(703) 836-2313 FAX
jimb@nasbe.org
www.nasbe.org/healthyschools
Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn: A School Health Policy Guide Part III: Policies Related to Asthma, School Health Services, and Healthy Environments
This new 80-page chapter provides suggestions for education decision makers about policies and programs related to asthma and other chronic health conditions. Like the previous chapters, it provides sample policies that states, school districts, and public and private schools can adapt or revise to fit their local needs and governance frameworks. Concise explanations, excerpts from existing policies, quotes from noted experts, and lists of useful resources accompany each sample policy. The chapter also includes summaries and analyses of the policies collected in NASBE's online state school health policy database.
Shaped by a large number of advisors and a CDC expert panel, the chapter is designed to complement and build on numerous other guidance documents developed in recent years by public agencies and private organizations. (However, the policy development guide is not written to be a manual for daily practice or to guide individual treatment decisions by school health personnel. Consult the referenced resources for such procedural
guidance.)
The development of asthma-related policies is discussed in five
sections:
1. School asthma program. This section describes how states, school districts, or schools can prepare a comprehensive program that responds to the needs of students with asthma.
2. Education and staff development about chronic health conditions. This section describes how lessons about common chronic diseases can be integrated into health education, science, and physical education curricula at appropriate grades; how professional development for school staff members can help ensure that they respond appropriately to health emergencies; and how educational reinforcement can help students with chronic health conditions better comply with their individual disease management plans.
3. Individual student plans. This section describes how schools can adopt a system that identifies students with chronic health conditions that impede learning, assesses the students' needs on a case-by-case basis, and provides appropriate services and accommodations. It also describes how physical education programs can be adapted to help students with chronic health conditions get the exercise they need.
4. School health services. This section describes how school health personnel, in partnership with parents, other caregivers, and health care providers, can help students manage and control many chronic health conditions. It also describes how schools can ensure that students experiencing an acute medical crisis get immediate access to medications and the support of responsible adults with the knowledge and skills to help them.
5. Healthy school environments. This lengthy section describes how schools can implement measures to decrease students' exposure to harmful indoor and outdoor allergens and irritants. Among the topics are planning procedures to assess and improve indoor air quality (IAQ); secondhand tobacco smoke; maintenance of school heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; integrated pest management (IPM); storage of chemicals; school bus diesel exhaust; and outdoor air pollution monitoring.
The chapter is focused on asthma but NASBE recognizes that it is only one of several chronic diseases that school policies need to address. The sample policy in the first section specifically addresses a comprehensive school asthma program. In contrast, the sample policies in the remaining sections are written in broad terms so as to apply to other chronic health conditions such as serious allergies, diabetes, epilepsy, cancer, and other extended illnesses.
The sample policies for this and every other chapter of Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn can be viewed and downloaded at www.nasbe.org/HealthySchools.
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| Date posted: 05-16-2005 |
| Posted by: Regional Asthma Management and Prevention Initiative |
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