School Health

Overview of School Health

The Office of School Health:

• • Fosters the academic potential of children by improving their health.
• • Works with federal, state and local agencies to prevent or contain any communicable or environmental threat to the city’s schoolchildren.
• • Provides health examinations and screenings as mandated by public health and education regulations.
• • Insures that all schoolchildren have access to and receive ongoing medical care, including any which should occur in school.
• • Provides health education to promote the adoption of healthy behaviors early in life.
• • Advocates for the health and well-being of the children and adolescents of New York City.

On-Site Services in Schools

OSH provides on-site services to all New York City public schools and to non-public schools on request. Services are provided by physicians, nurses, public health advisors and public health assistants. OSH staff performs the following services:

Direct Health Services

Skilled health care is provided to elementary and intermediate school students in need of such services because of an acute illness or chronic condition. Care is also offered to high school students with special needs.

Case Finding

Case finding is accomplished through the review of new entrant examination forms, periodic vision and hearing screenings, and nurse and teacher observations. At times, a further evaluation is conducted by the school physician. If a child is determined (or suspected) to have a health problem, the team contacts the parents/guardians and recommends a further assessment.

Linkage with Health Care (Referrals)

OSH staff participates in New York City’s efforts to inform parents/guardians about health coverage that is available to them and their children. Such coverage includes Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and the services of the Health and Hospital Corporation’s Child Health Clinics and specialty clinics of the Physically Handicapped Children’s Program.

Follow-Up

OSH follows up on all identified acute and chronic health problems. This may be accomplished by contacting parents, scheduling an assessment by an OSH physician or providing education to the student.

If you have questions about School Health programs, feel free to contact the nurse or public health advisor in your school or call the appropriate office below:

Bureau of School Health Region I – Telephone: (917) 492-6953 For Department of Education Instructional Regions 9 and 10

Bureau of School Health Region II – Telephone: (718) 579-6853/54 For Department of Education Instructional Regions 1 and 2

Bureau of School Health Region III – Telephone: (718) 336-2553 x112 For Department of Education Instructional Regions 5 and 6

Bureau of School Health Region IV – Telephone: (718) 495-0507 For Department of Education Instructional Regions 7 and 8

Bureau of School Health Region V – Telephone: (718) 520-4950 For Department of Education Instructional Regions 3 and 4

For a map of New York City Public School locations in Regions and Districts, click on: http://www.nycenet.edu/OurSchools/default.htm.