Dataset Information

A Successful Collaboration Between an Urban School District, a Health System, and a Public Health Department to Address COVID-19 While Returning Children to the Classroom.

ABSTRACT: We sought to create and implement a set of COVID-19 mitigation processes including reliable testing to minimize in-school transmission of SARS-CoV-2. A large urban school district (> 33,000 students), a city health department, and a free-standing children's hospital partnered to implement multi-layered mitigation procedures which included access to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing with same day or next morning results. We tracked COVID-19 cases as well as probable/confirmed transmissions and identified needed mitigations through frequent huddles. During the 2020-2021 school year, there were 13 weeks of hybrid in person learning and 9 weeks of 5 day a week learning. Of the 1936 cases documented, only 3.2% resulted in subsequent school-related transmission. When children felt ill in the classroom, they were isolated within 10 min of reporting ill symptoms (> 90% of the time). PCR test results were routinely available to the school district by 6AM the following morning (79-99% of the time, depending on the learning model). An adaptive, fast-learning partnership across school district, public health, and a children's hospital minimized school-related transmission of COVID-19 and allowed children to safely return to the classroom.

SUBMITTER: Auger KA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8881979 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A Successful Collaboration Between an Urban School District, a Health System, and a Public Health Department to Address COVID-19 While Returning Children to the Classroom.

Auger Katherine A KA Hall Margaret M Bunte Susan S Mussman Grant G Amin Maryse M Sprigg Susan S Porter Lauren L Porter Rita R Mansour Mona M Burkhardt Mary Carol MC Kahn Robert S RS

Journal of community health 20220226 3

We sought to create and implement a set of COVID-19 mitigation processes including reliable testing to minimize in-school transmission of SARS-CoV-2. A large urban school district (> 33,000 students), a city health department, and a free-standing children's hospital partnered to implement multi-layered mitigation procedures which included access to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing with same day or next morning results. We tracked COVID-19 cases as well as probable/confirmed transmissions ...[more]

PMID: 35220493

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Project description:ObjectiveTo explore the mental health needs of students, and the professional development and support needs of teachers and school health professionals, as a way to foster community engagement and help set priorities for a comprehensive school mental health system in the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD).SettingThe study team surveyed all DPSCD staff in June 2019 and all students in grades 8-12 between October and December 2019.Study designA descriptive study based on anonymous, web-based surveys focused on student trauma exposure and mental health symptoms, student mental health resource utilization, staff burnout, and professional development needs.Data collectionAll students (grades 8-12) and district staff were eligible to participate; the student survey was made available in six languages. Parents/guardians could opt children out; schools could exclude children unable to complete the survey independently. Student surveys were administered in school; staff surveys were sent via email.Principal findingsThirty-four percent of DPSCD students reported moderate/severe depression symptoms; 22% had seriously considered suicide in the past year. Rates exceed national averages; 37% of students with severe depression and 34% of those with suicidal ideation had not accessed mental health supports. Staff indicated high levels of burnout and substantial interest in learning about self-care strategies or coping with vicarious trauma. Over 75% of teachers and school mental health professionals expressed interest in learning about best practices for supporting students impacted by trauma or mental illness.ConclusionsA large number of DPSCD students are experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and many students who need care are not accessing it. Addressing the mental health needs of students is a high priority for staff, but they need more training and support, as well as support for their own vicarious trauma and high levels of burnout.

Dataset Information

A Successful Collaboration Between an Urban School District, a Health System, and a Public Health Department to Address COVID-19 While Returning Children to the Classroom.

Publications

A Successful Collaboration Between an Urban School District, a Health System, and a Public Health Department to Address COVID-19 While Returning Children to the Classroom.

Similar Datasets

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