07-R005

2007 -- H 5008

Enacted 01/03/07

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO DEVELOP A STANDARDIZED SYNDROMIC SCHOOL-BASED SURVEILLANCE REPORTING SYSTEM

Introduced By: Representatives Ginaitt, Gemma, Naughton, Watson, and Trillo

Date Introduced: January 03, 2007

     WHEREAS, It is the responsibility of the State of Rhode Island and Providence

Plantations and its communities to ensure safe and healthy learning environments in primary and

secondary levels of education, and further ensure that the status of community health is monitored

to be prepared for a timely response to any emerging public health threat; and

     WHEREAS, Seasonal increases in illnesses occur within Rhode Island communities on a

regular basis, and recognizing the fact that the spread of these illnesses is predictable within areas

of close contact such as schools, it is the responsibility of the state and our communities to make

efforts to further protect our student populations and their families from the spread of disease; and

     WHEREAS, The Department of Health and the Department of Education need to work to

develop statewide policies for collecting information on school absenteeism, particularly relating

to infectious diseases and notifying parents when appropriate, as well as policies on school

attendance when children are ill; and

     WHEREAS, Extensive efforts have been made by our local school districts and the

Department of Education to develop a Comprehensive Education Information System (CEIS) that

provides a common student information system across school districts that is linked to a central

statewide data warehouse that achieves greater cost efficiencies and more consistent use of

information-based decision-making; and

     WHEREAS, Extensive efforts have been made by the hospitals within Rhode Island and

the Department of Health in the development and implementation of a Real-Time Outbreak

Detection System (RODS) to collect and analyze information related to the number of visits to

hospital emergency departments with an alert and notification capability; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby respectfully requests the Rhode Island Department of Education

(RIDE), in conjunction with the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), to develop a

standardized, statewide, school-based syndromic surveillance reporting tool, to be incorporated

into the CEIS, that will identify and report potential public health events in a timely manner. The

development of this tool is intended to assist in ensuring healthy learning environments

throughout Rhode Island's communities; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives requests RIDE, in consultation with

RIDOH, the Rhode Island School Superintendents Association, and the Rhode Island School

Committees Association to develop educational materials and policies to support these findings;

and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives respectfully requests that the Rhode

Island Department of Education report back its findings and recommendations to the House of

Representatives on or before March 15, 2007; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Rhode Island Department of Education, the

Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, the President of the Rhode Island School

Superintendents Association and the President of the Rhode Island Association of School

Committees.

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LC00278

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