Background: Asthma reliever medication access is critical, especially in schools. Policies that "stock" reliever inhalers in schools provide failsafe medication access. This research aims to understand barriers and facilitators to Illinois stock inhaler policy implementation. Methods: We conducted 18 semi-structured interviews in…

Background: Due to the increasing availability of medical-grade cannabis for treatment of chronic conditions, we examined how prospective users navigate the process of researching, procuring, and using cannabis. Given the barriers prospective users experience, self-efficacy may be a factor for those who incorporate cannabis into treatment. Aims:…

State laws governing recreational and medicinal cannabis use are trending toward legalization, which has implications for school social workers and the students, families, and communities they serve. The patchwork of policies and conflicting public opinion sends mixed messages to youth and families who may lack sufficient information regarding…

Background: Food allergy affects 1 in 13 children, or 2 children per classroom. Food allergies are the leading cause of anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can result in death. In fact, 25% of first-time anaphylactic reactions among children occur in school. To address this, the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Office of Student Health and…

Objective: To assess long-term quit rates of a comprehensive smoking cessation group programme and identify factors that may influence outcomes. Design: Data from 199 patients who participated in the programme from June 2009 through June 2010 were evaluated regarding smoking history, nicotine dependence and attitudes toward smoking and quitting.…

The mental health of today's college students continues to be a top-level concern for institutions of higher education, whether it is viewed from the perspective of staffing mental health services on campus, responding to after-hours crises in residence halls, providing accessible treatment with limited budgets, managing behavioral threats, or…

Public schools have historically embedded mechanisms for control within their policies and procedures through a variety of means. This article investigates a moderately sized integrated public school system in an upscale to low socioeconomic Big Ten university community in Illinois. Through descriptive measures, the author examines the racial…

Medicaid billing information was used to examine the administration of psychotropic medication to residents of community long-term care facilities providing mental retardation services. Results indicated 28.9 percent of such residents in Illinois received at least one psychotropic medication with little or no influence of demographic and facility…

An increasing number of students are taking medications while they are in school or are under the influence of medication during school hours. In a novel effort, clinical pharmacists and mental health therapists worked together to provide "mini-in-service" educational programs on psychological disorders and medications used to treat…

These skill standards for the nursing cluster are intended to be a guide to workforce preparation program providers in defining content for their programs and to employers to establish the skills and standards necessary for job acquisition. An introduction provides the Illinois perspective; Illinois Occupational Skill Standards and Credentialing…

This set of policy statements of the Illinois Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities, adopted from 1989 through 1990, documents Council philosophies and beliefs about issues impacting persons with developmental disabilities and their families. The value standard guiding all Council policies, plans, practices, grants, and advocacy is…

The first National Drug Control Strategy set ambitious two and five-year performance based goals: (1) to lower the rate of drug use by 10 percent over 2 years among both youth and adults; and (2) to lower the rate by 25 percent over 5 years. The chapters in this updated version are keyed to the strategies three priorities: (1) Stopping Use Before…