School Health

Louisiana Healthy School Communities Project

Louisiana has been selected to receive a federal grant by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve student health and academic achievement through nutrition, physical activity and the management of students' chronic health conditions (named Louisiana Healthy School Communities Project).

While these activities are expected to be implemented statewide, the state education and health departments have selected six local school systems with which to prioritize this work. The departments will partner with elementary, middle and high schools in the public school systems in Calcasieu, East Baton Rouge, Lafayette, St. Landry and Tangipahoa parishes, as well as in the City of Monroe. These school systems were selected based on need following a statewide evaluation of school environments and parish-wide health data.

The $365,000 grant allocation for the 2018-2019 school year will be awarded to the state on June 30, 2018, and the state will then provide each selected school system $10,000. This will continue each year of the five-year grant. 


Healthy School Communities Resources


Project AWARE

Louisiana has been awarded the $9 million grant Project Advancing Wellness and Resilience Education (Project AWARE) grant through the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, aimed at expanding mental health services to students to support health development and prevent youth violence. The program will be prioritized in 34 struggling schools in the City of Monroe, Jefferson Parish and St. Bernard Parish school systems.

The competitive grant program will award $1.8 million to Louisiana each year for five years. The Department, in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), will utilize this funding to establish a comprehensive Louisiana School Mental Health Support Program. The multi-faceted program aligns to the mission of Project AWARE and aims to increase awareness of mental health issues among school-aged youth, to provide specialized training to school personnel on how to detect and respond to mental health issues, and to connect students struggling with behavioral or mental health issues and their families to the appropriate services.

Health Services

All schools in Louisiana offer a variety of health services to promote healthy lifestyles among students. 

All schools in Louisiana offer a variety of health services to promote healthy lifestyles among students.  Health Services may include physical education, health education, nursing services, school-based Medicaid services, related health services such as occupational therapy or physical therapy, adapted physical education and oral health education.

Nursing Services

As growing numbers of children with complex health needs enter our schools, local education agencies must strive to provide a diverse and appropriate range of health services. Guidance for school nurses, school administrators, teachers, other staff member and parents on the health care needs of children can be found here:

 

Adapted Physical Education

is a direct instructional service for school-aged students with disabilities who may not safely or successfully engage in unrestricted participation in the vigorous activities of the regular physical education program on a full-time basis.  To learn more, click here.