Inspired in part by the work of his wife, who's a school nurse, Givens last year sponsored the Coordinated School Health Improvement Act and in February, Gov. Don Sundquist signed the bill into law. In addition to directing the Departments of Education and Health to develop guidelines based on the CDC model, the act establishes a state grant program to assist local education agencies with implementation of a coordinated program, contingent on available funds. As a first step in setting up a system for local agencies to submit proposals, Givens and Education Department officials planned to meet during the second week of August. In addition, the state has applied for a federal grant to build up the infrastructure, so that it can establish specific positions to oversee and implement the coordinated health program. To Givens, the importance of coordinated school health is a no-brainer.
Teachers can teach instead of rendering health care, and it's a good investment.