Maine DOE Staff Contribute to Journal of School Nursing

Maine Department of Education (DOE) School Nurse Consultant Emily Poland, MPH, RN, NCSN, and School Nurse Specialist Sarah DeCato, MSN, RN, NCSN, in collaboration with nurse colleagues across the nation, recently co-authored an article titled, "Exploring Innovative U.S. School Health Delivery Models: A Narrative Review". This literature review identifies several different school health delivery models that exist today, as well as a need for continued research and growth in innovation to best meet the ever-evolving health needs of students.

This article will be published in the Journal of School Nursing in February of 2025, and it has already been published online.

This partnership was part of a larger project completed in 2023, when the Maine DOE commissioned an environmental scan and state assessment of school health services to gain a deeper understanding of the state of these services. The purpose of this project is to describe school health services, examine innovative models and infrastructures that facilitate Medicaid billing, and provide recommendations for a three- to five-year plan to strengthen school health services.

To complete this project, the Maine DOE contracted with the Center for School Health Innovation & Quality, which is housed in the Public Health National Center for Innovations, a nonprofit organization that is part of the Public Health Accreditation Board.

The environmental scan and summary sheet can be viewed here:

• Report brief from the environmental scan (Fall 2023)
• Fact sheet and recommendations from the environmental scan (Fall 2023)