Deschutes County Health Services is celebrating the success of its Healthy Schools program in Bend-La Pine Schools. A four-year evaluation, covering the 2021-2022 through the 2024-2025 school years, provides substantial evidence that the program is making a meaningful difference in student’s lives. Results show the program prevented 21% of behavioral health-related emergency department visits for students aged 11-17, saving between $812,000 and $1.5 million in associated healthcare charges.
“While the evaluation data is exciting, what really hits home for us is hearing from students that they’re more engaged in school, graduating, and are having better conversations with their parents because of this program,” said Prevention and Health Program Manager Jessica Jacks. “It’s a testament to excellent prevention work and a great partnership with the schools. Seeing students thrive is our number one goal.”
“The Healthy Schools program has grown into an invaluable service to students and families in Bend-La Pine Schools,” said Bend – La Pine Schools Communications Director Scott Maben. “By promoting better physical, mental, emotional, and social health in our students, we are improving their academic engagement and helping them to thrive, now and as they approach adulthood.”
The Deschutes County Healthy Schools program is a cost-sharing partnership between the County and Bend-La Pine Schools. The program places public health specialists in middle and high schools to guide staff in preventing adolescent health issues like student suicide, substance use, bullying, violence, sexually transmitted infections, and teen pregnancies. Given that children and adolescents spend nearly half their waking hours at school, schools serve as ideal locations for these public health interventions.
Health Services staff will present evaluation findings during the Board of County Commissioners meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 26, at 9 a.m. in the Barnes Sawyer room of the Deschutes Services Building, at 1300 NW Wall St. in Bend.
For more information about Deschutes County Healthy Schools and to view the program evaluation report, visit www.deschutes.org/healthyschools.
