The School Health Guidance Document: An Evidence-Based Resource For Public Health Workers

Cette affiche a t prsente lors de la Rencontre internationale La prochaine dcennie pour les coles favorisant la sant, le bien-tre et la russite
e ducative dans le cadre des 15es Journes annuelles de sant publique (JASP 2011).
The School Health Guidance Document: An Evidence-based Resource for Public Health Workers
Yvette Lafort-Fliesser, RN, MScN, CCHN(C) and Carol MacDougall, RN, BScN, MA
BACKGROUND
Ontario Public Health Standards (OPHS) were released in 2008 by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term
Care to guide the provision of mandatory public health programs
The OPHS require public health units to use a comprehensive health promotion approach when working
with school boards and schools to influence the development and implementation of healthy policies and
to create or enhance supportive environments
Great variation and lack of clarity across Ontario re: how to operationalize a comprehensive health
promotion approach
Ontario Healthy Schools Coalition advocated to the Ministry for the development of a School Health
Guidance Document (SHGD)
Unique achievement as the SHGD is a settings-based document, not program-based
Purpose: to be a tool that identifies key concepts and practical resources that public health managers and
front-line staff may use in health promotion planning with schools and school boards
CHECKLIST FOR PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING

HEALTHY SCHOOLS
The checklist summarizes the main strategies public health units undertake to support schools within a
comprehensive health promotion approach:
Use a strengths-based approach
Coordination within health unit
Coordination with school boards
Coordination within schools
Coordination with community partners
Ensuring a common understanding of the healthy schools approach
Communications
Determinants of health
Mental health
Monitoring and evaluation
Method: Working Group of seven public health experts responsible for school health programs, two policy
advisors from the health promotion and education ministries and a contracted public health consultant as
writer. Additional advice was sought from epidemiologists and experts on determinants of health and
mental health.
CONTENT OVERVIEW
Background information relevant to school health, including supporting evidence and rationale
Evidence-based practices, innovations and priorities for partnership work between public
health units and school boards and/or schools
General and specific considerations in using a comprehensive health promotion approach
with educational settings
Mental health and determinants of health considerations in the public health approach to
this setting
Areas of integration with other OPHS requirements. This includes the identification of
opportunities for multi-level partnerships and collaborative opportunities with other provincial
strategies and programs
Key tools and resources to assist staff to implement the program standards related to school
settings and to evaluate their interventions.
FEEDBACK FROM PUBLIC HEALTH UNITS

The background information and rationale for a Comprehensive School Health Approach is
excellent. It explains with clarity and in multiple ways the concept and application of a
Comprehensive School Health Approach. The description is very thorough, we appreciate
the use of multiple concepts/models to compare and contrast and the use of evidence from
provincial, national and global perspectives.
The document provides tangible and realistic examples on how the standards can be met.
It recognizes specific skill sets required in a public health staff as well as the accountability
required to stay current with evidence-based practice. It is well organized, referenced and
easy to read with excellent organization of the background information and strategies to
reduce the burden based on Canadian and local research data evidence. It describes
comprehensive health promotion very well, which makes it a good guide for health units and
school boards.
RECOMMENDED HEALTHY SCHOOL PROCESS

A: Establish a Healthy School Committee
Need a structure to coordinate the work and to involve students, parents, teachers,
principal/vice-principal, public health and other community partners.
Student involvement and leadership in all aspects of the planning process is essential
The Healthy School Committee can be any configuration that suits the individual school
e.g. Health Action Team; Safe, Healthy and Caring School Committee; School
Improvement Committee; a sub-committee of School Council.
B: Engage in a Healthy Schools Planning Process
Schools need to engage all school stakeholders in the process of:
Creating a shared vision of their school as a Healthy School;
Assessing existing strengths and needs;
Prioritizing an issue;
Developing a comprehensive plan
Implementing the plan;
Monitoring/evaluating; and
Celebrating and communicating successes.
C: Ensure the Schools Plan is Comprehensive
Use Ministry of Educations Foundations for a
Healthy School Framework to plan activities within
each of the four framework components to ensure a
comprehensive plan that results in substantial and
sustainable improvements.
High Quality Instruction and Programs
Supportive Social Environment
Healthy Physical Environment
Community Partnerships (to enhance access to
resources and services)
Note that healthy school policies are embedded
within each of these four components.
OUTCOMES AND IMPACT

A draft of the document was sent out to all 36 public health units and several organizations
affiliated with school health for their review and feedback.
27 public health units and organizations indicated that the document was well written,
comprehensive, practical and offered evidence-based recommendations for supporting
school-based health promotion and building stronger partnerships with schools.
Several suggestions for improving processes for working with schools were also provided
and some were incorporated into the final draft.
The School Health Guidance Document was released in May, 2010 and has become a key
resource for public health units in Ontario.
WORKING GROUP MEMBERS

Sarah Lambert, Ministry of Health Promotion & Sport, Co-Chair
Carol MacDougall, Co-Chair
Gloria Morris
Saralyn Semeniuk
Cathy McCallum
Maryan OHagan
Laurie Boston
Catherine Tebbutt
Steve Soroko, Ministry of Education
Yvette Lafort-Fliesser, Lead Writer
Diane Finkle Perazzo, Editor
ADDITIONAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are also grateful for the support of the Cancer Care Ontario staff: Frederick
Appah, Tatyana Krimus and John Garcia and for the guidance and direction of
the Health Promotion Guidance Documents Steering Committee.

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Cette affiche a t prsente lors de la Rencontre internationale La prochaine dcennie pour les coles favorisant la sant, le bien-tre et la russite

CHECKLIST FOR PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING

FEEDBACK FROM PUBLIC HEALTH UNITS

RECOMMENDED HEALTHY SCHOOL PROCESS

OUTCOMES AND IMPACT

WORKING GROUP MEMBERS

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