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Collaboration between the school health nurse and an urban community health center: Experience of community health center staff and program outcomes

Priscilla K. Killian, MSN CPNP RN, College of Nursing & Health Professions, Drexel University, 1505 Race Street MS 501, Philadelphia, PA 19102, 1215 762 8298, pkk22@drexel.edu

Program collaboration between a high school health nurse and an urban community health center: the overview and evaluation of the collaborative process, piloting a short-term anger management teaching project and lessons learned

Many urban school districts within the country are faced with declining budgets leading to decreased support the comprehensive education of youth in urban areas. Government agencies strongly support and reward school districts that place an emphasis on a student’s increased proficiency and competency in basic skills acquisition. This leaves few resources to support health education and promotion programs for many at risk youth. At the same time, high school nurses are faced with an increased number of office visits that require more complicated psychosocial problems that need time consuming assessments, interventions and counseling skills. With limited resources within the school for supporting healthy interpersonal skill development, health promotion and prevention programs, the need for community collaboration to support this education and intervention become increasingly important. The development of a collaborative relationship with community partners to provide programs for at risk youth is one way a school nurse can begin to address this problem. A short-term anger management program for at risk teens in a local high school was developed by a team from a local health center at the invitation of a high school nurse. The process of developing the collaborative relationship is examined as is the importance of integrating collaborative partners and initiatives within larger school and community programs is discussed.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Community Collaboration, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Roundtable: School Health Topics

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA