School Health

Maryland law specifies that the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) are jointly responsible for developing public standards and guidelines for school health programs and offering assistance to county boards of education and local health departments in implementing these standards and guidelines. The Center for Maternal and Child Health (CMCH) is responsible for promoting the health of school aged children and ensuring that schools comply with mandated school health standards. Included in these guidelines and standards is the requirement that every child entering the Maryland public school system must have proof of a physical examination and up-to-date immunizations. Public school systems are also required to provide scoliosis screening tests for all students at least once in grades six through eight. The CMCH coordinates data collection on local school health programs as mandated by the school health law and analyzes school health data at the state and local levels.

Additional school health related responsibilities include:

To develop policies, procedures, and programs to meet the health and health related needs of school aged children;
To collaborate with the Department of Education to maintain and update the School Health Manual, and related manuals, policies and procedures to meet the goals of DHMH’s school health programs;
To plan, coordinate and evaluate professional continuing education activities that target issues related to school health programs and school-aged children; and
To serve as the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s liaison to the Maryland State Department of Education, Maryland State School Health Council, American School Health Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, private providers, the Department of Human Resources, and the Federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau, on issues related to school health.

For further information, contact the Center for Maternal and Child Health at 410-767-6713.