Texas School Health Program

The Texas School Health Program envisions a Texas where all school-age children are healthy, ready to learn, and prepared to make lifelong healthy choices. We provide school health leadership, support, and guidance to Texas school districts. 

Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model, the School Health Program supports education and public health partners with impacting school health issues. Schools play an important role in promoting the health and safety of school-age children as they have direct contact with students for about 6 hours per day. Evidence shows that when schools address students' health needs, they can improve student performance and ease financial constraints.

Announcements

• Action for Healthy Kids is hosting a webinar series covering a variety of school health topics. Sessions will cover the School Health Index (SHI), School Health Advisory Committees (SHACs), Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP), Wellness Policies, and Unassigned Medications. Please see more information about the sessions and registration links below.
  • April 1: School Health Index Assessment (SHI)
  • April 15: School Health Advisory Committees (SHACs)
  • May 6: Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP)
  • June 3: Wellness Policies, and
  • June 17: Unassigned Medications

• Texas Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Society (TAAIS) published a list of physicians who are willing to prescribe unassigned Epinephrine and Bronchodilators to Texas school districts.
• The School Health Program has published a Spanish language translation of the School Health Advisory Council: a Guide for Texas School Districts. Both the English and Spanish versions can be found on the School Health Advisory Council webpage.
• The Opioid Antagonist – Required Reporting of Administered Opioid Antagonist Medication to DSHS is now posted. Any school campus that adopts an opioid antagonist medication administration policy must use this report when a school personnel member or school volunteer administers an opioid antagonist.
• The School Health Program created the Guidelines for Schools Reporting Opioid Antagonists Administration to assist any school personnel member or school volunteer who is reporting an administration of an opioid antagonist on their school campus.
• Additional opioid antagonist resources have been added to the DSHS Required Reporting Forms webpage. These resources include links to prevention toolkits, standing orders, and more.

Our Focus Areas

• Student Chronic Health Services
• Nutrition Environment & Services
• Physical Education & Activity
• School Community Involvement
• School Policies & Guidelines