HHS/DOE issue toolkit on school/health sector collaboration

The departments of Health and Human Services and Education Friday issued a letter and toolkit suggesting “high-impact” ways that states and communities can collaborate to improve school-based health. For example, local educational agencies can promote healthy eating and physical activity, and use school registration processes to help eligible students and family members enroll in health insurance, the agencies said. In addition, state and local agencies can explore opportunities to provide or expand reimbursable health and case management services, and school districts and hospitals can partner to identify investments that can improve school health and educational outcomes in the hospital’s service area as part of the hospital’s community health needs assessment, the report notes.