Parents and caregivers want their children to be happy, healthy, and productive. A focus on health and safety is important for all children as they grow up. Healthy children start to learn skills when they are born. These skills will help them in school and when they are adults.
Teachers can’t do it all! But, sometimes common problems in the classroom and hallways usually extend beyond “bad behavior” and could be indicators of certain health issues. Resolving health issues in school can have a positive impact on attendance and focus during the school day.
Health staff play a pivotal role in a growing child’s life. Doctors, nurses, health educators, and medical support staff all communicate important information to children and families related to physical and mental health and well-being.
Policies and laws help shape school health in practice. As research continues to show how health affects education and vice versa, programs to promote school health are growing. Anyone can be an advocate - students, families, educators, and community members.
The Healthy and Ready to Learn Resource and Training Center provides free trainings to equip all adults in the lives of children with the knowledge and skills to promote strong attendance, community health, and training sensitivity.
For 36 years Children's Health Fund has provided high quality clinical services to children in some of the most underserved communities in the country. The Healthy and Ready to Learn initiative is the next step.
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed in 2015 and is the most recent education law being implemented today. It places a large focus on equity across populations and considers the whole-child approach to education. The law brings important issues like health, wellness, and attendance to the forefront and provides ways for schools to be accountable for selected issues. ESSA provides an additional pool of funding and unique opportunities for states to consider health and education together. This law has the potential to sustain work in schools that improves health and academic outcomes for students.
Click below to learn how New York State is implementing ESSA and how your school can benefit from ESSA programs.
https://hrl.nyc/node/hrl-essa
