Joint Statement on School-Age Health

By
The New Jersey Department of Health And Senior Services
and
The New Jersey Department of Education

Health and education are joined in fundamental ways with each other and with the destinies of New Jersey's children. As such, through our leadership roles, we continue to commit ourselves to cooperative efforts between our departments in support of comprehensive school age (pre-k through 12) health education and related health services and programs.

• New Jersey's children face many compelling educational, health, and developmental challenges that affect their lives and their futures.
  Our children face a host of contemporary issues that could significantly impact their lives and futures as productive members of society. The challenges faced by our youth today, include social, emotional and environmental stress factors which often result in violence, substance abuse, mental illness, acute and chronic illness, preventable injuries, developmental disabilities and sexual activity resulting in unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases including HIV infection. These challenges are closely associated with poor levels of academic achievement, absenteeism, a high drop out rate, and low levels of literacy. The serious issues confronting our children demand a reassessment of the contributions of education and health programs and services in safeguarding their lives and preparing them for productive, responsible, and fulfilling futures.
  
  
• New Jersey education, health and social service systems must be linked in partnership to help our children successfully meet these challenges.
  The task of addressing the contemporary issues facing youth, is too extensive and complex for any one agency to do alone. It will require a comprehensive and coordinated approach at both the state and local level. A concerted effort will be undertaken at the state level to build upon existing relationships and soliciting close cooperation with other state agencies to bring about major systemic change in order to recast the service delivery system. Locally, changing the culture of government aid requires substantial school and community involvement complimented by a grassroots commitment to change expectations. Therefore, it is important that the health, education and social service systems at the state and local level work together to develop integrated comprehensive school age health service designs, and program models that have the full support of public and private health care educators, health care and service providers, communities and families.
  
  
• Comprehensive school age health services and programs support the education process, integrate services for economically disadvantaged and disabled children, and improve all children's educational and health prospects.
  The benefits of integrated health, education and social services can be achieved by working together to create a "seamless" network of service, both through the school setting (e. g. school based health clinic, intervention and referral system, and/or a School Based Youth Services Program model) and through established linkages between the schools and community- based providers (e. g. service affiliation agreements or a system of referrals).
  
  Comprehensive school age health programs and services support health and promote wellness and enhance academic success. For example, school health services provide for appraisal, protection, and promotion of student health and healthy lifestyles. The knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs learned can also have a positive impact on the health of the child's family. Such programs and services enhance student safety, encourage exercise and fitness, support healthy physical, emotional and social development, promote abstinence and responsible sexual behavior, discourage use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, and help young people develop personal, interpersonal and life skills that enhance lifelong wellness.
  
  
• Creating opportunities for community health education and professional development.
  It is acknowledged that we cannot successfully promote child health and wellness and expect academic success without having a complementary program and service delivery for parents, caretakers. Nor can we expect health educators to fully embrace early intervention and prevention health strategies without the opportunity to participate in health education and related professional development activities. To this end, the Department of Education in cooperation with the Department of Health and Senior Services intends to dedicate resources to support opportunities for community education and professional development.
  
  
• A Strategic Plan for Systemic Improvement of School Age Health Education.
  The Departments of Education and Health and Senior Services have a history of collaborative efforts. Given the diverse health-related program and regulatory concerns that span both departments it is imperative that we continue to collaborate with and support our joint efforts to achieve systemic improvement of school age health education. As a first step, the two departments have renewed their commitment to provide policy direction and guidance on comprehensive school age health education and solidified their collaborative effort through the development of a shared vision and goals. In support of the strategic planning process, the Departments of Education and Health and Senior Services have re-established the Interdepartmental Committee on School Age Health Education, co-chaired by the Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Student Services and the Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Family Health Services. This Committee will work to ensure alignment of the Strategic Plan for Systemic Improvement of School Age Health Education with existing departmental strategic and/or long range planning documents, and will build organizational capacity to develop the necessary infrastructure between our departments to promote the health and academic achievement of New Jersey's school age student population.