Student Health Services

  • Portland Public Schools is committed to providing school environments that use a holistic approach to promote and protect children’s health, wellness and ability to learn. To support health, safety and academic success, our district provides health services in partnership with community agencies. See Health Partnerships to learn about our partners

    If you have specific questions about the health needs of your student, please call your school to talk to your school health services staff. See also information about School Based Health Centers below.
      
    Multnomah Education Service District (MESD) School Nurses and Health Assistances provide direct health services to ill and injured students, management of acute and chronic illnesses, and surveillance and follow up of communicable disease. Nurses are a liaison between home, school and community health care providers; promote safety, assess growth and development; and contribute to mental, emotional and physical well-being. School health assistants provide injury and illness assistance to students under the direction and supervision of the RN and RN supervisor. Being  in the fall of 2017 all PPS schools will have on-site student health services five (5) days a week. 

    Immunization prevents communicable diseases helping students stay healthy: MESD supports PPS in managing State-mandated immunization requirements (ORS 333-050-0010- 0110) in partnership with Multnomah County Health Department. School staff are responsible to collect information about immunization. MESD inputs, analyzes and monitors immunization records in order to minimize the number of students excluded for vaccine preventable diseases. This maximizes student attendance and learning time. Nurses, together with the MESD immunization team, assist families to navigate the health system to access resources for required vaccines. School Staff Responsibilities Pertaining to Student Immunization Records

    Vision and Dental screening and resources prevent students from missing school due to dental pain and removes barriers to learning for students that are caused by treatable vision problems. Oregon Law now requires a child who is 7 years of age or younger to have dental and vision screenings before entering school for the first time.

    PPS Communicable disease response: MESD nurses consult with and function as a liaison between school personnel, county and state health divisions and local community medical providers in situations of reportable communicable disease. MESD nurses also assist PPS by investigating, reporting, contacting parent/guardians, and providing health counseling, referral, and follow-up activities (OAR 581-022-0705). More specifically, What happens if a student is confirmed with a communicable disease?

    • The Oregon Health Authority works with the child’s medical provider to confirm the illness.
    • Once confirmed, the Health authority determines the length of time a student must remain out of school
    • In addition, the Health Authority evaluates
      • The risk for other children exposed to the ill child, including siblings
      • The risk for unvaccinated children and staff at the child’s school
    • The Health Authority advises PPS on what other children and staff, if any, must also be kept home from school and for how long. PPS works out a plan with families to maintain the child’s schooling if he or she is out of school for an extended period.

    School Based Health Centers provide many services including

    • Routine physical exams, including sports physicals
    • Early detection, diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury
    • Vision, dental and blood pressure screenings
    • Immunizations
    • Mental health services
    • Age-appropriate reproductive health
    • Routine lab tests
    • Prescription medications
    • Health education, counseling and wellness promotion
    • Fitness and nutrition education and counseling
    • Referrals for health care services not provided at the clinics
    • Multnomah County School Based Health clinics are located at designated elementary, middle and high schools in Multnomah County. Multnomah County facilities serve all students in the school cluster they are located in allowing access to comprehensive preventive, primary and mental health care for Multnomah County school-aged youth. School Based Health Centers/Locations and Hours
      • In addition to School Based Health Clinics, Multnomah County Primary Care Clinics provide low-cost family health care at seven locations. They provide care to underserved, low-income and uninsured residents of Multnomah County.
    • The Benson Wellness Center located at Benson High school is a partnership between Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), MESD, and Western Psychological Association.  The new student wellness center will improve the physical and mental health of Portland high school students. The Benson Wellness Center will provide students high-quality healthcare regardless of insurance status. For more info, see this OHSU website

    Health related  PPS Board Policies and Administrative Directives:

    4.10.011-AD Student Enrollment - Immunizations
    4.10.012-AD Student Attendance and Absences
    4.50.020-P Health Services
    4.50.021-AD Health Services - Implementation 
    4.50.022-AD Guidelines For Students With Bloodborne Pathogens
    4.50.023-P Dental Health Services
    4.50.024-AD Dental Health
    4.50.026-P Administering Non-injectable Medicines To Students
    4.50.027-AD Procedures For Administering Non-injectable Medicines To Students

    Health related Oregon Statutes and Administrative Rules

    Division 22 including OARs pertaining to health and wellness
    ORS 333-050-0010- 0110 Immunizations
    OAR 581-022-0705 Communicable Disease Response
    2015 Oregon HB2972 Section 1:  (2)(a) through (3)(c) Dental Screening Requirements
    2013 Oregon HB3000 Section 1:  (2)(a) through (3)(b) Vision Screening Requirements