What Works in School HealthWhat Works in School Health

DS McCall,

Alberta Coalition for Healthy School Communities

September 26, 2006

Points for DiscussionPoints for Discussion

The Black Box of the School The Ecology of School Systems Building System Capacities Understanding Public Systems Some Working Examples

The Reality/ComplexityThe Reality/Complexity

Ecology of School SystemsEcology of School Systems

Think of a blueberry farms

System CapacitiesSystem Capacities1. Coordinated policy/policy on coordination

2. Assigned staff and infrastructure3. Formal and informal mechanisms for cooperation4. Knowledge transfer, translation, promising practices

5. On-going work force development (pre and in-service)

6. Strategic, coordinated issue management7. Ongoing surveys of health, periodic surveys of

programs8. Explicit plan for sustainability.

System CharacteristicsSystem Characteristics

• Multiple Systems (Degree of cooperation, at which levels, fit between innovation/reform and system & environment, professional norms, ideologies, sociology of professions)

• Open Systems (Economic and social factors, politics, media, local community history, norms, & resources, family characteristics, congruent/competing influences, change agents and influencers)

• Loosely Coupled (Shared vision, internal networks, communities of practice, professional development)

• Professional Bureaucracies (Routines, internal communication, knowledge is power, structures, documentation)

Some Working ExamplesSome Working Examples

Canadian (On some issues, some good PT plans, some case studies)(Everactive Schools, Action schools, Safe & Caring Schools)

International (Some national/state results)(England, Scotland, Hong Kong, Western Australia)

International (On several issues)(Bullying, cardio-vascular, sexual health, mental health)