Project
REACH
Program
Planning Guide
Additional
Activities
School
Nurse InService
Because
they are an integral part of the school staff,
school nurses can provide a vital link in encouraging
women to obtain regular screening and in delivering
this important message. Although some nurses will
be familiar with up-to-date aspects of early detection
for breast and cervical cancer, others may need
a “refresher” course. Ask the Head School Nurse
or School Health Services staff to help you identify
nurses who might be interested in participating.
Training components might include:
a review of breast and cervical cancer early
detection guidelines- overview
of Pap tests, mammography, clinical breast exams,
and instruction in breast self-examination - overview
of treatment options for breast and cervical
cancer - presentations
on community resources and availability of early
detection screening and follow-up treatment,
especially services targeting income-eligible,
uninsured or underinsured women.
Well
Woman Series
The
quality of our health and our lives depends on
a variety of interdependent factors making it
difficult to address any one health issue without
addressing or acknowledging other issues. In addition
to planning one-time or on-going events targeting
breast and cervical cancer early detection screening,
these topics can be incorporated into a series
of workshops or seminars on women’s health issues.
Offer take-home pamphlets and materials that participants
can share with their friends and colleagues who
are not in attendance.
“Free-For-All”
School
employees often state that one of the major barriers
to getting mammograms, clinical breast exams,
and Pap tests is the lack of time available in
their busy workday schedules. A woman may need
as many as three separate medical appointments
in order to follow recommended early detection
screening guidelines. With a few hours of free
leave a year to work with, advance planning, and
the comfort of knowing your school administration
supports you, screening appointments could easily
be scheduled for either the beginning or the end
of a workday. Some ways of approaching “free”
leave to be used toward preventive screening appointments:
request that your Superintendent consider an
annual plan that would allow each employee six
hours of “free early detection time”.
encourage your local Association to negotiate
for “free” time for early detection screening
as part of their collective bargaining and negotiations.- solicit
support for this type of arrangement from the
principal of the school(s) where you work.
There
may be many details to work out in this type of
arrangement such as who will keep track of and
approve individual requests for “free” leave,
who will be responsible for arranging substitute
coverage, how far in advance employees need to
request “free” leave, and other issues. Working
closely with school nurses and administrators
to work out the details and make sure all needs
are addressed.
Using
Mobile Mammography
Many
radiology facilities across the country operate
FDA-approved mammography units that are housed
in mobile vans. These facilities are then able
to send the van to various locations in their
region to provide screening mammograms. This could
be particularly useful in rural communities where
getting to a mammography facility may require
a great deal of travel time, thus presenting further
screening barriers to public school employees.
However, organizing a mobile mammography event
can be logistically demanding. Here are some suggestions:
Enlist the help of organizations and individuals
such as your local chapter of the American
Cancer Society of your local health department.
They can help identify quality mobile mammography
services, and perhaps similar services or opportunities
for cervical cancer screening.- Work
closely with representatives of the school district
and health insurance companies to identify and
answer cost, billing, and co-payment questions,
and to help complete the necessary paperwork.
- Ask
for assistance from your health department in
identifying screening and follow-up treatment
options for individuals who may not have insurance
or a regular physician, and for individuals
eligible for no or low-cost screenings.
American
Cancer Society’s Tell-a-Friend Program
Many
local chapters of the American
Cancer Society have implemented this program
to train women to be peer educators by telling
their friends about the importance of breast and
cervical cancer early detection. Ask your local
ACS chapter if this program is available. Women
in your school district can learn to be early
detection advocates through this program.
Lay
Health Advisors
Many
local health departments have developed community
“Lay Health Advisor” programs to train women to
be peer health educators in their community. Ask
your local health department if they have a program
like this, and if not, ask them to start one (or
offer to assist in its development).
“First
Fridays, Third Thursdays”
Identify
a school nurse or community clinician who is willing
to make themselves available in your school building
on the same day of every month to serve as an
on-site resource person and to encourage school
employees to practice early detection screening.
Identifying
Insurance Benefits
Develop
a comprehensive fact sheet on the breast and cervical
cancer screening benefits offered by the health
insurance plans for the school employees in your
district. Include information such as the types
of screening and follow-up services the insurers
cover, what the deductibles and co-pays are, etc.
Include information such as where to go for no
or low-cost mammograms, and the eligibility requirements.