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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Charles Peters, Louisiana Assembly on School-Based Health Care, 8415 Goodwood Blvd, Suite 203, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, Holley Galland, MD, MPH, MA, Medical Director, Health Care Centers in Schools, Inc., 254 Nelson Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, 225-892-0951, hgalland@aol.com, and Lisa Kimmey-Walker, MSN, CPNP, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, 1002 E. Stadium Dr., Rosenberg, TX 77471.

The devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita left thousands of children and families in Louisiana and Texas in need of urgent and longer-term health care. School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) in these states continue to be on the front lines delivering primary care and mental health services to displaced populations. Their early responses to the needs of those affected by the disaster included meeting requirements for medication and chronic illness and injury management. Longer-term health issues continue to evolve and include post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues. SBHCs, already under-resourced and over-extended, have responded by maximizing the opportunities presented by their location and have collaborated with schools in their responses. Key lessons from this experience have highlighted the need for 1) school and SBHC planning for disasters; 2) improving the understanding in schools and the communities of the structures and networks available that are necessary to respond to a crisis; 3) the importance of a rapid response to problems; and 4) recognizing the need to train school staff, SBHC program staff, students and families on effective coping skills. The impact of budget cuts and funding resources will be highlighted. Wherever possible, clinic encounter data will be used to summarize the experience. This workshop will use didactic, interactive and discussion methods to review these experiences and propose strategies for implementation in other communities.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Identify the unique role of school-based health centers (SBHCs) in response to intermediate and long-term effects of a disaster.
• Identify the health and mental health issues hurricane evacuees experienced in school settings.
• Recognize the challenges faced by SBHCs in response to health and mental health needs for school staff, program staff, students and families affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 4.Discuss strategies used by SBHCs to address the challenges.

Keywords: School-Based Health Care, Disasters

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation