State Mandated Health Screenings

Schools are required by Massachusetts General Law to provide vision, hearing, body mass index (BMI), postural, and Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) health screenings to all students.  Parents/guardians will be notified if a referral is necessary.

Guidelines may be found at the following website

Screening

Grade

Vision

Pre-K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10. Kindergarten entrants must provide documentation of a vision screening.

Hearing

K, 1, 2, 3, 7, 10

Height, Weight & BMI

1, 4, 7, 10

Postural (Scoliosis)

5, 6, 7, 8, 9

SBIRT (Substance use screening)

7 and 10

Vision:

Students entering Kindergarten are required by Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 71 and Section 57, to have had a vision screening by a physician. Annually in grades pre-k, 1 through 5, once in grades 6 through 8, and once in grades 9 through 12

Hearing:

Kindergarten through grade 3 and once in grades 6 through 8 and once in grades 9 through 12

Heights and Weights:

Heights and weights are measured and body mass index (BMI) is calculated on children in grades 1, 4, 7 and 10. The purpose of BMI screening in all schools is to gather valuable data that can help MDPH monitor trends in childhood obesity and identify possible systems-wide solutions. BMI results are submitted to MDH only.

Postural Screening: 

The state of Massachusetts mandates that all students in grades 5 through 9 be screened for scoliosis.

SBIRT:

Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment is done once in grades 6 through 8 and once in grades 9 through 12. The screening uses the CRAFFT tool as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Substance Abuse.  Student screening sessions will be brief and conducted confidentially in a private, one-on-one session. 

SBIRT In Schools

CRAFFT-II Screening Interview

SBIRT as part of routine healthcare practice

We recognize that some parent(s)/guardian(s) may prefer to have the screening performed by a physician. For your child to be exempt from screening in school, please provide the following documentation to your school nurse:

Hearing & Vision: 

Copy of the screening results from the physician for the current school year.

Postural:

Copy of the screening results from the physician for the current school year or documentation that the student is under care for scoliosis for the current school year.

Height/Weight/BMI

Parent/Guardian must provide a written request to the school clinic if they do not wish their child to participate in this program.

SBIRT:

Parent/Guardian must provide a written request to the school clinic if they do not wish their child to participate in this program.

*Families will be notified of the onset of screenings in school newsletters and on our school website. We will ensure privacy and confidentiality during the screening procedures.*