Kennedy Krieger Assists State in Planning Return to School

July 7, 2020

The Kennedy Krieger Institute's Specialized Health Needs Interagency Collaboration project (SHNIC), funded by the Maryland State Department of Education, supports a group of Kennedy Krieger nurses and educators to provide training and technical assistance to school personnel and parent groups regarding the needs of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) in schools throughout Maryland. With the onset of COVID-19 and the disruption of typical school health activity, the team has been involved in statewide and international groups developing guidelines for the return to school for students with specialized health needs. Specifically, the team has participated in the development of guidelines for CYSHCN that are embedded in the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Recovery Plan, developed a survey for school health supervisors to determine what needs are anticipated to prepare for reopening, and collaborated in the development of guidelines regarding COVID-19 and school health practices. The team has also been meeting and sharing resources re: COVID-19 with an international group of school nurses on a weekly basis.