Wisconsin health service staff: DHS invests $8.3M to support K-12
MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced $8.3 million in funding on Wednesday, Oct. 26 to support K-12 school health service staff in schools throughout the state.
A news release says this investment is first-of-its-kind funding that will support hiring and retention for school nurses and health staff in K-12 schools and provide funding for school nurses to pursue wellness activities and professional development.
In partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), 12 regional Wisconsin Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESAs) will distribute funds to schools. This funding will improve children’s health by supporting the school health workforce. Funds can be used to hire new nurses and health coordinators, retain those staff through retention bonuses, and extend the hours of existing health staff. This funding will also provide nurses wellness and professional development opportunities. Pipelines to support the education of future school nurses has also been made possible through this funding and in partnership with University of Wisconsin—Madison, School of Nursing.
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Funding for this initiative comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and aims to support state and local public health infrastructure. The money was allocated using CDC health equity indicators as well as analysis of the number of school nurses and students by district, the number of students with disabilities, and students who are economically disadvantaged. This allocation method recognizes the time and resources school nurses need to address the needs of students and alleviate health and socio-economic barriers students may be experiencing.
View the list of schools that received funding to support school health service staff.