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Health & Wellness

The mission of our Health and Family Support Department is to support San José Unified’s vision of preparing today’s students to be the thinkers, leaders, and creators of tomorrow. We do this by providing students and their families with services and access to community programs that will optimize the health, wellness, and safety of our students for them to be successful in the years to come.

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Wellness Policy

Recognizing the link between student and staff wellness and learning, the San José Unified Board of Trustees adopted a district Wellness Policy in 2006 that is designed to “build, promote, and integrate a comprehensive school health system.”

Click here to read the San José Unified Wellness Policy.

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Illnesses

To protect the health and safety of our entire community, students should not attend school with any of the symptoms below. Students exhibiting these symptoms may be sent home.

  • Cold symptoms - Keep student home during period of coughing with yellow or green discharge.
  • Fever of 100 degrees or higher - Students who have been ill with a fever need to be fever-free, without the use of medication, for 24 hours before returning to school.
  • Eyes that are red, swollen, crusting, or draining
  • Untreated, draining ears or earache
  • Diarrhea - Students must stay home for 48 hours after they no longer have symptoms.
  • Severe nausea or vomiting - Students must stay home for 48 hours after they no longer have symptoms.
  • Severe sore throat
  • Untreated head lice and/or nits (eggs) in the hair
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Immunizations

Students will not be able to attend class in San José Unified until all immunization requirements have been met and records have been received by the Enrollment Center or school office. Please click below to view the requirements and find a clinic near you where your student can receive their immunizations.

Please call the Enrollment Center at (408) 535-6412 if you have any questions.

Personal Belief Exemptions

According to recent updates to state law, Personal Belief Exemptions (PBE) from immunizations are no longer accepted unless they were dated before January 1, 2016. For more information about the new law, please see the Frequently Asked Questions at ShotsForSchool.org.

Medical exemptions are still accepted from your student’s healthcare provider. Requests must list specific immunizations and explain why they would be harmful to the student’s health.

Tdap Requirements

All students entering or advancing or transferring into 7th grade need to submit proof of immunization with a whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine booster called “Tdap”. Students must receive a Tdap booster by the first day of school.

All students entering or transferring into grades 8-12 who have not met the TDAP booster (Tdap) requirement, will need to submit proof of a Tdap immunization.

Tdap Vaccine Information

Tuberculosis (TB) Requirements

The Santa Clara County Tuberculosis (TB) School Mandate has changed from a requirement for universal TB testing to a requirement for universal TB risk assessment. This requirement applies to all children enrolling or transferring at any grade level from outside of Santa Clara County.

Prior to enrollment, students are required to have their healthcare provider complete the Santa Clara County Public Health Department Risk Assessment for School Entry.

TB Risk Assessment for School Entry

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Health Forms

School Medication Permission Form

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Family Supports

The Healthy Start Family Resource Center is a student and family support program that provides integrated and easily accessible health and social services to low-income children and families in an effort to assist them with improving health, education and family function.

Healthy Start is a partnership of schools and community agencies to provide direct and referral services to our students and families. This partnership brings expertise and resources together that result in better services for our children and families.

If you have questions or concerns, please call us at (408) 535-4760.

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Health Insurance

Children who participate in Medi-Cal are eligible for no-cost comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits. As the parent/guardian of a child with Medi-Cal you:

  • Pay no monthly premiums;
  • Pay no copayments for any benefit; and
  • Can choose from several health insurance plans.

Medi-Cal is available for children 18 years of age or younger from single- or two-parent working families that meet income requirements. To qualify, children must be California residents and U.S. citizens, nationals, or eligible undocumented immigrants.

If your child does not qualify for Medi-Cal, there are several health insurance plans available at low cost. Please call us at (408) 535-4760 for more information.

 

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Homeless Assistance

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Program is designed to address the problems that homeless children and youth have faced in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school. Under this program, state educational agencies (SEAs) must make sure that each homeless child and youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as other children and youth.

If you’d like to learn more about San José Unified’s McKinney-Vento program and the services we provide for families and students, please contact Program Coordinator Alejandro Herrera at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 408-535-6464.

For more information, you can read The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

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Resources

We encourage you to take advantage of these resources for ensuring the health and wellbeing of your student(s) and family.

Health Resources
  • SJUSD Healthy Start (408) 535-6798
  • Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (408) 885-2000
  • CHDP (physical exams for children) (408) 494-7410
  • Packard Children’s Hospital
  • Public Health Dept. Immunization Clinic (408) 792-5200
  • Public Health Dept. Refugee (Immigrant Services) (408) 792-5500
  • Public Health Dept. General Information (408) 423-0700
  • Valley Health Center - Pediatric Appointments 1 (888) 334-1000
  • Planned Parenthood - Info Line 1 (800) 230-7526
  • Gardner Health Clinic (medical, dental, Medi-Cal) (408) 918-5500
  • Social Services (Medi-Cal, AFDC food stamps) (408) 271-5500

 

Family Assistance
Counseling & Support
Crisis Intervention Hotlines
Substance Abuse
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Contact

Health and Family Support Department
San José Unified School District
855 Lenzen Ave.
San José, CA 95126

Phone: (408) 535-6377
Fax: (408) 535-2325

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