Elementary/Secondary School Health Services

Health programs operated by local school districts that provide primary health care, a system for dealing with crisis medical situations, mandated screening and immunization monitoring, chronic disease management, health education and other medical services needed by children in kindergarten through 12th grade. Qualified professionals such as school nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists, health educators, physicians, physician assistants and allied health personnel provide these services. The goals and program elements of school health services vary at the state, community, school district and individual school levels. Some of the factors that contribute to these variations include student needs, community resources for health care, available funding, local preference, leadership for providers of school health services, and the view of health services held by school administrators and other key decisionmakers in the school systems.