In addition to education, schools play a key role in the health of children. Sick children can’t focus on learning, so by necessity, schools address the many health challenges that students face—ranging from minor illnesses to chronic conditions. Schools are also uniquely positioned to increase access to health care and provide vital education and environments that help children develop healthy habits and reach their full potential. Moses Taylor Foundation seeks to provide support to assist schools in maximizing these opportunities to improve children's health.
Within this focus area, the Foundation pursues two strategies—support for school nurses and broader physical and mental health improvement for students.
Community partners helped the Foundation identify school nurses as a key lever in expanding school-based health. School nurses are on the front lines of meeting the health needs of students. Their work goes far beyond bandaging playground scrapes; it includes helping students manage chronic health conditions, learn healthy habits, and connect to community resources. However, nurses also face many challenges stemming from misunderstanding of their role.
In 2019, the Foundation commissioned a needs assessment of school nurses in Northeastern Pennsylvania. This assessment was conducted by the National Association of School Nurses and completed in early 2020. The results were used to guide the development of the Foundation’s School Nurse Strategy.
The Foundation also invests in broader efforts to improve the physical and mental health of children through school-based programming. Specifically, the Foundation prioritizes efforts that serve multiple districts and/or involve systemic and sustainable work.
Contact Senior Program Officer Christine Marcos to learn more about the Foundation’s School-Based Health focus area.
