DPH Weekly Updates 4/6/16
Dear Colleagues,
Despite the snow and cold this week, it’s finally Spring!It is so nice to see flowers blooming and the buds on the trees ripening (even through the snow!)…..and of course, the ever-increasing amount of day light makes the days seem brighter, too!
I have had several requests for the language from the Opioid Bill signed by Governor Baker on March 14, 2016, that mandates a verbal screening for substance use (also known as Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment – SBIRT). The link to the Opioid Bill can be found here: . Scroll down to Section 15, and under that Section 97:
Section 97. (a) Subject to appropriation, each city, town, regional school district, charter school or vocational school district shall utilize a verbal screening tool to screen pupils for substance use disorders. Screenings shall occur on an annual basis and occur at 2 different grade levels as recommended by the department of elementary and secondary education, in consultation with the department of public health. Parents or guardians of a pupil to be screened pursuant to this section shall be notified prior to the start of the school year. Verbal screening tools shall be approved by the department of elementary and secondary education, in conjunction with the department of public health. De-identified screening results shall be reported to the department of public health, in a manner to be determined by the department of public health, not later than 90 days after completion of the screening.
(b) A pupil or the pupil’s parent or guardian may opt out of the screening by written notification at any time prior to or during the screening. A city, town, regional school district, charter school or vocational school district utilizing a verbal screening tool shall comply with the department of elementary and secondary education’s regulations relative to consent.
(c) Any statement, response or disclosure made by a pupil during a verbal substance use disorder screening shall be considered confidential information and shall not be disclosed by a person receiving the statement, response or disclosure to any other person without the prior written consent of the pupil, parent or guardian, except in cases of immediate medical emergency or a disclosure is otherwise required by state law. Such consent shall be documented on a form approved by the department of public health and shall not be subject to discovery or subpoena in any civil, criminal, legislative or administrative proceeding. No record of any statement, response or disclosure shall be made in any form, written, electronic or otherwise, that includes information identifying the pupil.
(d) The department of elementary and secondary education shall notify each school district in writing of the requirement to screen students for substance use disorders pursuant to this section. School districts with alternative substance use screening policies may, on a form provided by the department, opt out of the required verbal screening tool. The form shall be signed by the school superintendent and provide a detailed description of the alternative substance use program the district has implemented and the reasons why the required verbal screening tool is not appropriate for the district.
(e) No person shall have a cause of action for loss or damage caused by an act or omission resulting from the implementation of this section.
A reminder that for all those planning to implement SBIRT, the first step should be to view the online introduction to this process on the Northeastern University School Health Institute website (there is no cost for this program) at: We have also had many requests for additional resource materials on Motivational Interviewing (the BI in SBIRT). A highly recommended text is: Motivational Interviewing in Schools: Strategies for Engaging Parents, Teachers, and Students 1st Edition by Keith C. Herman PhD 2014
Please know that all school personnel, even if you did not apply for SBIRT planning grant funds for this school year, are welcome to attend any SBIRT training being conducted across the state. Please see the full schedule of these trainings on the Northeastern University School Health Institute website at:
Please also see the article that recently appeared in Youth Today: by colleagues at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) in support of school nurses providing a viable workforce for undertaking this: “They are already on the front lines of addressing youth substance use and need tools, training and state support.” Sharon Levy also notes that adolescent opiate users in CeSAR program at BCH, all used marijuana and alcohol before opiates.
Have a good rest of the week,
Mary Ann, Carol, Janet and Bev
“Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work." -- Mark Twain, writer
From the MDPH School Health Medication Administration Program:
Registration for Medication Delegation for School Year 2016-2017:
Thank you to those school nurses who have submitted their application requests for field trip and/or epinephrine registration that expires on 6/30/2016. Due to the huge volume of requests (currently over 100), the applications will be mailed out between April 4-12, 2016. Please have your school’s/school district’s completed application returned to the School Health Unit by May 6, 2016, in order for the certification to become effective as of July 1, 2016. This is especially important for those districts that require this registration for summer school programs.
Reminder: Attendance (within the last five years) at Northeastern University School Health Institute’s “Medication Delegation and Administration” program is a registration requirement. Please submit (with your completed application) a current copy of your certificate of attendance from this program if you think we do not have one on file.
Thank you.
Janet Burke
Program Coordinator
School Health Unit/MDPH
School Nurses in the News! From Newburyport and the work being done there, led by the school nurse leader, Cathy Riccio:
From the MDPH Immunization Program:
Notice of the Immunization for Schools Regulation Public Hearing:
The following link has the public hearing notice and associated documents (memo to PHC and redlined version of regs) for the proposed amendments to the school immunization regulations (105 CMR 220.000).
Feel free to share with anyone who is interested or asking about it.
The hearing is scheduled for April 29th at 10AM in the MDPH, Public Health Council Room (250 Washington Street, Boston, 01208). For those who are not aware, the proposed changes are primarily being driven by the overall effort throughout state government to streamline regulations. The primary change we are making is removing the specific list of vaccines required for school entry and referring to DPH policy documents which will provide much more flexibility to update school requirements in the future based on the latest national recommendations. It also eliminates the definition of student.
From the Department of Children and Families (DCF):
Attached is a copy of the job posting for a Boston Region Nurse position with the DCF. To find the posting on the Commonwealth Employment site, ctrl + click on the following:
This site will redirect applicants to the MassCareers site where they apply. Anyone with questions regarding the positon can call Mary Lutz, at 617-748-2119.
From Prevent Blindness:
The Children’s Vision and Eye Health: A Snapshot of Current National Issues report can be downloaded in PDF form or viewed online at NPR ran a great piece on this report and will be running a recorded interview of KiraBaldonado, Director of the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health on NPR Radio later in the week:
And, Prevent Blindness has launched a newly designed website with a variety of eye health topics, including eye disease and conditions, eye safety, advocacy efforts, financial assistance programs and more. The Children’s Vision Massachusetts website is included in this redesign.
From the National Scoliosis Foundation:
Please join us on Saturday April 9th, for Scoliosis Education Dayat the DePuySynthes Institute in Raynham. This informative event is free of charge, and open to all newly screened children and their parents, current patients and families, school nurses, healthcare clinicians and providers and all interested members ofthe community. Attendees will learn about scoliosisdetection, diagnosis, treatment options/advances, research, advocacy and much more! We ask you to kindly share this invitationwith your network of family, friends, school, work, or healthcare communities and anyone else who may be interested in attending this event. To register, or for more information, please email us r call 800-673-6922. Scoliosis Education Day Program Agenda Saturday, April 9, 2016 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM DePuySynthes Companies 325 Paramount Drive Raynham, MA 02767 8:30–9:00 AMWelcome & Registration 9:00−10:30 AMUnderstanding and Managing Scoliosis Craig P. Eberson, MD, Hasbro Children’s Hospital Michael P. Glotzbecker, MD, Boston Children’s Hospital 10:30−10:45AMBreak 10:45−11:45AMLiving An Active Life With Scoliosis Joe O’Brien, CEO & President National Scoliosis Foundation Featuring interactive discussions with scoliosis patients and parents 11:45−12:15PMLunch Session(lunch will be provided) Scoliosis Education Opportunities Featuring the Medikidz superheroes 12:15−1:00 PMUnderstanding Scoliosis Treatment Options for Patients and Parents Physical Therapy– Amy Sbihli, MPT, DPT Director of Scoliosis Services at Orthopaedics Plus, and Schroth Certified Instructor Bracing– James H Wynne, CPO, FAAOP Vice President, Boston Brace/National Orthotic Prosthetic Company Families Welcome!
We will offer a concurrent children's program for younger siblings (ages 5 and up), including Arts & Crafts, Movies and Fun Activities with the Medikidz superheroes! Parents are asked to provide adult supervision for children under age 5. If this requirement prevents you from attending, please speak with us and we will try our best to find some assistance. Kindly RSVP by emailingor calling800-673-6922.
From the American School Health Association (ASHA):
Register now for upcoming webinar on Teaching Happiness in our ClassroomsRegistration is now open for "Teaching Happiness in our Classrooms" which is scheduled on Tuesday, April 19 at 3 p.m. ET. Presented by Dr. Steve Goodwin, Associate Professor, Behavioral Health and Nutrition, University of Delaware, this session will provide tools and resources to encourage school health professionals and teachers to incorporate happiness/positive psychology principles into their classrooms and personal lives. Continuing education credits are being reviewed and more information will be posted here when available. READ MORE
From the US Department of Education (US DOE):
ED's Office of Safe and Healthy Students Seek Qualified Reviewers for the FY2016 Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) Grant.
The Office of Safe and Healthy Students (OSHS) is seeking qualified peer reviewers to read and evaluate discretionary grant proposals for the FY 2016 Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) Grant competition.For the PEP competition, OSHS is seeking reviewers with expertise in issues related to physical education, physical activity, health, health education, nutrition education, curriculum development, evaluation, and grants management. These individuals include, but are not limited to, physical education teachers, nutrition education teachers, grants management specialists, curriculum developers, and school administrators. Peer reviewers may be required to review and evaluate the evidenced-based practice and programs grant applicants proposed to implement school-based programs in the above mentioned content areas.
The OSHS Grant Application Peer Review Process is designed to ensure that each discretionary grant is evaluated and scored based on responses to the selection criteria. Therefore, we rely on qualified, external peer reviewers to critically evaluate all submitted grant applications to ensure we receive objective and independent ratings. Each year we assemble panels of educators, policymakers, and experts to participate in our peer review process.
The peer review process consists of an orientation; the evaluation and scoring of applications consistent with established selection criteria; written reviews of each application to support the scores; and conference call discussions with other panelists. The review process for this program will be conducted electronically via the Internet, eliminating the need for any travel to Washington, D.C. Each peer reviewer is expected to commit approximately 35-40 hours to complete a review of applications on schedule. Reviewers are expected to review 10-12 applications assigned to their panel and participate in three conference calls panel discussions. The time frame for this review is compressed, meaning reviewers can expect a very intense review that will last as little as two weeks.
Persons interested in serving as peer reviewers should note the following items, as they are essential elements of what we are seeking in a reviewer for this program:
•The ability to communicate proficiently;
•The ability to interact in a web-based environment including access to the internet, a phone, and a printer;
•The ability to provide thoughtful, analytical, and objective evaluations of proposals using the designated selection criteria;
•The relevant education, training, and/or experience in the subject areas of this grant program;
•Knowledge of related evidenced-based programs and practices related to the subject areas of this grant program;
•Knowledge of and/or experience with program planning, implementation, and/or research and evaluation processes;
•The ability to work collegially with others in a team environment, and meeting established deadlines; and
Reviewers will receive an honorarium after completion of required work assigned to them and submission of mandatory forms. Persons interested in serving as peer reviewers may apply at any time.
ED solicits reviewers without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability. Also, please be aware that participation in the peer review process will require reviewers to determine if they have a conflict of interest, or the appearance of a conflict, in reviewing assigned grant applications. A peer reviewer is considered to have a conflict of interest when the reviewer, or certain individuals and entities with which the reviewer has a relationship, has a financial interest in the outcome of the competition for which he/she is serving as a reviewer.
If you are interested in serving as a reviewer, please register, provide your background information, and upload your most recent resume at This will allow your information to be available to other offices in the Department that are searching for reviewers. If you have trouble registering, you may contact the G5 Help Desk for assistance. Their contact information is located on the G5 login screen.
For further information about the review process or how to apply to be a peer reviewer, please contact Christine Pinckney at
From the Children’s Safety Network:
WEBINAR INVITEPlayground Safety:
Having Fun and Staying Safe
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
2:00-3:00 PM Eastern Time
Convert to your time zone
Play is an important part of childhood. Despite the improvements in playground equipment and surfacing and messages about the importance of supervision on playgrounds, 235,000 children are seen in U.S. hospital emergency rooms with injuries associated with playground equipment each year. Most injuries occur when a child falls from the equipment onto the ground.
This webinar, scheduled to highlight Playground Safety Week, will begin with an overview of a 20-year project promoting playground safety from the National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS). With a growing understanding of the importance of play, NPPS will share information related to advocating for SAFE (Supervision, Age Appropriate, Fall Surfacing, Equipment Maintenance) inclusive and high quality play areas that support child development and reduce unintentional childhood injuries. An overview of playground injuries will be shared, along with a description of the agencies and organizations that have issued recognized guidelines and standards that address playground safety.In addition, webinar participants will learn about improvements that have been made to Chicago playgrounds through the Safe at Play project at the Injury Prevention and Research Center at Lurie Children's Hospital. These improvements include the large scale survey projects at the Chicago Park District and Chicago Public Schools as well as smaller scale playground initiatives such as childcare facility playground checks and small playground builds. Participants will learn strategies and resources for keeping children safe on public playgrounds.
Reference: Lawrence BA, Spicer RS, Miller TR (2015). A fresh look at the costs of non-fatal consumer product injuries. Injury Prevention, 21(1):23-9.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
The webinar capacity is limited. Please register now.
This webinar will be recorded and the recording will be posted on our website.
It may take up to two weeks for the recording to be posted.
Please note that we do not offer CEUs or certificates for our webinars.
From the MA Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics (MCAAP):
MCAAP Immunization Initiative UpdateMarch 2016
Notes from the Field: Administration Error Involving a Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine - United States, March 1, 2010-September 22, 2015
Reprinted from Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).Please note: an Errata to this report was published on March 11, 2016. Click here to view the Errata.
Menveo (GlaxoSmithKline, previously Novartis AG) is a conjugate vaccine that was recommended in October 2010 for routine use in adolescents (preferably aged 11 or 12 years, with a booster at 16 years), and among persons aged 2 through 54 years with certain immunosuppressive conditions, to prevent invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidisserogroups A, C, Y, and W-135 (1). These recommendations have since been updated (2). Menveo is supplied in two vials that must be combined before administration. The MenA lyophilized (freeze-dried) component must be reconstituted with the MenCYW-135 liquid component (Figure). To administer the vaccine, the liquid component is drawn into a syringe, and used to reconstitute the lyophilized component. The resulting solution is administered by intramuscular injection. Failure to prepare Menveo as directed by the manufacturer's instructions can lead to lack of protection against the intended pathogens (N. meningitidisserogroups A, C, Y, and/or W-135) (3).