Speak Up for a State School Nurse Consultant in Illinois

Join Healthy Schools Campaign in advocating for the funding of a State School Nurse Consultant position at the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Creating this position will provide invaluable support for school nurses and, ultimately, make a tremendous difference for children’s health throughout the state.

To add your voice to the growing support calling for the creation of this position, simply complete this form to sign on to the letter below, which HSC will deliver to ISBE. We encourage individuals and organizations to sign on expressing support. Questions? Contact Preethi Raghavan or call (312) 419-1810.

Sign This Petition

We encourage the State to fund a State School Nurse Consultant at the Illinois State Board of Education to better support school nursing and, ultimately, student health.

Currently there is a lack of organization and support for school nurses at the state level. A State School Nurse Consultant is integral to the proper coordination of school nurse certification programs, dissemination of information on infectious disease outbreaks, and communication amongst parents and school nurses across Illinois.

This position was cut seven years ago due to budget constraints. Since then, Victoria Jackson, the school nurse health consultant at the Department of Human Services, has devoted approximately 40 percent of her time to addressing school health and nursing issues. Nonetheless, she admits that she does not have enough time to provide the level of consultation needed. Ms. Jackson has plans of retiring in the next year. When this happens, there will be an enormous gap in health services consultation provided to Illinois schools with no guarantee that someone at DHS, or any other agency, will assume these responsibilities.

We ask that the State School Nurse Consultant work in conjunction with the Illinois State Board of Education because their objectives are intertwined. Currently schools individually search for answers to questions about health and wellness management. A state-level consultant at ISBE could readily communicate with Regional Offices of Education and local school administrators. This would provide a consistent, accurate and efficient approach, resulting in better services for students and reduced legal costs and liability for schools.

Download the full letter [pdf]

Questions? Contact Preethi Raghavan or call (312) 419-1810.