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.
Since COVID-19 was designated as a pandemic, and with the recent murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Rayshard Brooks our nation has been reminded of how systems were built to widen racial inequities. As we examine the impact policies in the health and education systems have on the black community, the need to shift focus to restorative healing is even greater.
Including racial injustice as part of a healing-centered trauma-informed model is essential. Racism as a public health issues impacts students, families, and staff in school buildings and at home. It's important to be aware of how the education and health systems were built on the foundation of white supremacy and to start taking action to dismantle them. Healing is also a necessary component to create restorative spaces that support black communities in New York City.
This conversation centers on racialized trauma and the compounding effect it has on students, families and school communities. We'll sit down with Wenimo Okoya, Ed.D, MPH, Associate Vice President of Healthy and Ready to Learn to highlight the need to integrate community-centered healing in schools and answer questions including: What does it mean to protect children in our schools and communities when we know the trauma they are experiencing now is compounded by similar injustices experienced by their parents, grandparents, and through generations? And, how can we create school environments that center on healing and restoration while acknowledging the very wounds we must heal from?
https://hrl.nyc/node/racialized-trauma
