COVID-19: Planning and Postpandemic Partnerships

The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has highlighted the need for strong partnerships between educators and healthcare professionals to facilitate the reopening of schools. School nurses are uniquely positioned to bridge this gap because of their role as a healthcare professional in the educational setting. Past research identifies the effectiveness of collaborative efforts to serve students by community partners, school system personnel, and school nurses. However, partnerships have been episodic and reactive rather than ongoing and proactive. The circumstances of COVID-19 present an opportunity for school nurses to promote collaboration and planning as an ongoing practice. Recommendations for school nurses to form ongoing public health and school system partnerships, as well as with teachers, parents, and school nursing colleagues, are presented.

Service Integration and School to Work Transition: Customized Employment as an Outcome for Youth with Significant Disabilities

This article presents a model of transition service delivery that is designed to produce seamless transition from school to work for youth considered to have significant disability, be candidates for supported employment services, and require considerable job customization in order to maintain successful employment. This model, the Transition Service Integration Model, integrates resources to enable youth to obtain employment prior to school exit, maintain that employment upon school exit, and continue to receive employment support from a community rehabilitation agency that collaborated with school system personnel prior to school exit. This article illustrates the potential of pairing this service integration model with customized employment strategies so that youth with significant disabilities achieve successful employment outcomes.