The Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center has a variety of ongoing projectss. Here is a brief listing through the end of June 2010:

National Assembly on School Based Health Centers

NASBHC Conference: West Virginia was well-represented at the National Assembly on School Based Health Care (NASBHC) 2010 Conference in Arlington, VA. Judy Koehler from Rainelle Medical Center and Barb Staggs from Wirt County Health Services attended Advocacy Day at the Capitol. Barb was also awarded an Advocacy Scholarship from NASBHC. Linda Anderson & Paula Fields also attended the conference. Linda was a co presenter with faculty from the Center for School Mental Health and NASBHC in a session entitled, School Mental Health Capacity Building – Useful Tools and Lessons Learned .presented about West Virginia’s Expanded School Mental Health Initiative.

Overweight/Obesity

Adolescent Self-Management (ASM) Touch Screen: MU is currently working to further develop the ASM Touch Screen. A progress tracking feature and reporting feature will be added. Preliminary reports from the initial sites note improvements around healthy lifestyle behaviors utilizing the touch screen technology with the 5-2-1 message. The touch screen technology allows the students to self-report lifestyle behaviors along with the option to complete an action plan where improvements can be made. The student and provider use this information for assessment, goal setting and follow-up.

Website: SBHC Start up Guide now available The MU team continues to update the various school health toolkits which are available on the WV School Based Health Assembly’s website. Opening a SBHC – A Startup Guide for West Virginia was recently added. Visit the website and download a copy at SBHC Startup Guide

Mental Health

Expanded School Mental Health Initiative The TA Center provides technical assistance and staff support for this joint effort led by the Bureau for Behavioral Health, Children’s Division and the WV Department of Education. The ESMH Steering Team is implementing a long-term, strategic plan for expansion of school mental health services to reduce barriers to learning. The National Assembly on School-Based Health Care selected WV as the pilot state for their Mental Health Capacity Building Project. This project will continue with technical support from NASBHC until 2011. More information about the ESMH Initiative can be found under the Tool Kits section at Mental Health Toolkits and at the new website for school mental health in West Virginia School Mental Health in WV

In FY 2009 the Children’s Division of the Bureau for Behavioral Health awarded grants to seven organizations to support a one-year planning process for ESMH. The TA Center is working with the grantees to assist them in developing their programs.

Oral Health

The TA team is now working with other groups to develop the capacity of schools and health providers to expand school based dental services. A recent funding initiative of the Benedum Foundation and the Appalachian Regional Commission awarded 17 grants to communities for equipment and some operating support for comprehensive school based or school linked dental health services. Additional resources for providing school-based oral health services can be found at Oral Health Tool Kits

West Virginia Partners for Oral Health: MU staff serves as the lead for the partnership, which consists of organizations, business, professional associations and others with an interest in oral health. The partnership activities include providing policy briefs annually to law makers, maintaining a listserv and website devoted to oral health activities in WV, and acting as an oral health resource. WV Partners for Oral Health

West Virginia Perinatal Partnership MU is a collaborating partner and staff serves on the steering committee of this project focused on improving the perinatal care of WV women. Additionally, MU staff serves as staff personnel to the Committee on Oral Health. Since, the development of the Partnership in 2007, guidelines and recommendations have been developed and continue to be a work in progress. Most recently, staff worked alongside policy makers in addressing the need for dental coverage for all WV Medicaid women. More information can be found at WV Perinatal Partnership

Website

The MU team continues to update the various school-health toolkits available for downloading. Additional information was recently added to the Educational Shine and Share features for the WV PERT

Collaboration

The MU team works with various state and local agencies to improve children’s health in WV. A few of the recent meetings and projects that included support from this team are:

MU works with the WV Performance Effectiveness Review Tool (PERT), under the direction of the WV Division of Primary Care, and in conjunction with the WVSBHA Communication Team. The trio recently has worked to “get the word out” about the WV PERT Clinical Quality component.

MU staff serves on the WV Asthma Coalition School & Pediatrics subcommittee. 2010 planning is currently underway. The Asthma Friendly school award will continue to be promoted. Encourage your SBHCs to work with their school staff and be recognized for having an asthma friendly school! In addition, the subcommittee is working on an absenteeism project.

MU staff attends WVSBHA quarterly executive team meetings as well as participates in the Communications Team meetings. In addition, staff has assisted with transition of WVSBHA staff, of which most recently included facilitation of a meeting between WVDE OHS & WVSBHA staff.

MU staff is working in conjunction with the WV Coalition against Domestic Violence to promote domestic violence awareness among health professionals, and in particular the development of materials and continuing educating programs. Materials developed with oral health providers in mind were sent to every dentist and dental hygienist in the state. Each packet contained posters, guidelines and intervention recommendations.

MU staff is serving on the Central Advisory of the newly developed West Virginia Geriatric and Long Term Care Partnership. This partnership will mimic the WV Perinatal Partnership and begin examining and addressing issues faced by WV’s older populations.

MU is working with the WV Department of Education Office of Healthy Schools to explore collaborative opportunities for funding of school-based health services through WVDE and other funding streams. This is currently on hold while the WVDE discusses with its partners prior to proceeding.

Workshops

The MU team is involved is the planning of a number of workshops and conferences every year. Workshops that are currently planned include:

August 16 & 17, 2010 - Back to School Workshop Days Hotel, Flatwoods WV