The Department of Health Services is comprised of 87 point of service locations (also known as “Health Offices”) throughout the school district and one central administrative office serving greater than 42,000 students, families, school staff and leadership, and the Tucson community. By promoting effective partnerships, we work with the school community to provide health and wellness services that keep children healthy and attending school. Health Services is a key partner in achieving high quality educational outcomes and reducing health disparities in the Tucson community.
Mission:
The purpose of school health services is to reduce or eliminate health-related barriers to education for all students and provide evidence-based care with an emphasis on safety, wellness, and advocacy.
Vision:
Health Services advocates for a healthy child to ensure effective learning.
Re-printed with permission by the National Association of School Nurses.
Individualized Education Plan (IEP): Health consultation and health needs planning with IEP team
504: Health consultation and planning for medical 504s
Chronic Medical Certification: Coordination of physician's certificate and instructional plan
Emergency Health Plans
Asthma
Diabetes
Life-threatening allergic reactions
Seizures
Other behavioral and medical health conditions as needed
Caring for ill and injured students
Immunizations
Intepretation
Referral
State database
Disease outbreak management
Flu surveillance
Management of medications
Prescription
Over-the-counter
Emergency and chronic medical care
Implementing and adhering to physician's orders/Medical Care Plans
Training school personnel on medical procedures to ensure children's medical needs are met during the school day
Nursing assessment, referral and resources for acute and chronic medical conditions
"You cannot educate an unhealthy child, and you cannot keep an uneducated child healthy." Dr. Jocelyn Elder
Because we recognize the role that children's health plays in their ability to learn, each of our schools provides a health office.
The health office is staffed by a full-time health assistant, trained in CPR, first aid, and office management, and a school nurse, who may be responsible for more than one school.
If your child has specific health concerns, you are welcome to make an appointment to discuss them with the school nurse. The school health office will work closely with your child's doctor in providing best practice management of diabetes, asthma, and life-threatening allergies.
The health office provides many services to students, including first aid, administering prescribed medications, and health screenings. Some of the annual health screenings we offer include dental health, and hearing and vision assessments. We conduct these annual assessments with one goal in mind: to remove possible barriers to your child's learning.
At Tucson Unified, promoting children's health goes hand-in-hand with providing quality education.
"The Department of Health Services adopts the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice TM as the guiding theoretical foundation of practice."
Re-printed with permission by the National Association of School Nurses.
Referral for FREE dental care to treat acute dental pain to eligible students to local dentists.
Sealant Program funded by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) for 2nd and 6th grade students.
Mobile dental care by local dentists offered at TUSD school locations.
The health of a child's mouth affects their overall health and ability to attend school. If your child is in need of dental care and you do not have insurance, or have insurance and need help finding a dentist, let us know.
School nurses are guided by the rules and guidelines of various agencies, including:
Arizona Nurse Practice Act
National Association of School Nurses
American Academy of Pediatrics
Healthy People 2030
Pima County Health Department
Arizona Department of Health Services
Every Student Succeeds Act
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Section 504/Americans with Disabilities Act
Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice
Medications at School
It is our goal to work with parents and students to make certain that medications are given in a safe manner. If your child needs to receive medication at school, please contact the school health office. Students may not carry their own medications in school (emergency medication exceptions noted below).
Please note:
All medications (including inhalers) must be ordered by your primary care provider licensed to prescribe in Arizona.
All medications must be the original prescription bottle/box with a pharmacy label.
A signed medication permission form is required.
Emergency medications that students may carry and self-administer:
Epinephrine injector
Inhaler
Insulin
Glucagon
All TUSD schools participate in the laws allowing school nurses to train staff in administering life-saving medications:
Epinephrine auto-injections for severe allergic reactions
Albuterol inhaler for respiratory distress/difficulty breathing
Narcan
For more details read Medication Policy or talk with your school nurse and health assistant for detailed medication policies and procedures.
Proof of current immunizations is required for school attendance under Arizona State Law. You must provide proof of current immunizations in order to enroll your child in school.
If the student has a medical condition or personal belief that conflicts with this law, a waiver may be signed and presented at the time of registration. You may obtain the waiver at any of the Pima County Health locations.
The law does not allow parents or guardians to claim an exemption simply because the child's immunization record is lost or incomplete or because it is too much trouble to go to a physician or clinic.
