Vancouver school health manual

Every year we publish the Vancouver School Health Manual to help Vancouver school staff access the health care services we provide for school-aged children and youth.
Revisions to this manual will be posted to this site throughout the school year. View the manual below by the section:

Section 1: Public Health nurses at your school

Public health nurses work with schools to provide health services and education. Find the public health nurse for your school and learn more about the services nurses can provide.

Section 2: Immunizations

We immunize children to protect them against vaccine-preventable diseases. Learn about the school immunization program and find out when an immunization clinic will be held at your school.

Section 3: Communicable Disease Control in school

Your school can play an important part in controlling the spread of illness through recognition and reporting. Learn the steps your school can take to control a potential communicable disease outbreak.

Section 4: Nutrition

Learn more about how the child and youth public health dietitians support healthy eating environments in schools and how to contact them.

Section 5: Hearing

We provide screening through our Mobile Hearing Clinic and assessments through our audiologists. Find out more abut the hearing services we offer and how to access them.

Section 6: Vision

We provide vision screening to kindergarten and school-aged children and access to free glasses for children in need. Learn more about the vision services we provide to schools.

Section 7: Dental

Our preventative dental program is available to children in grade seven or under. Find out how to access this program and emergency and reduced-fee dental services.

Section 8: Mental health

We provide services for non-urgent and urgent mental health issues. Learn more about the mental health services we provide to youth.

Section 9: Eating and weight-related issues

Learn more about this program for youth dealing with eating disorders, including how to make a referral.

Section 10: Alcohol & drug services for schools

We provide a range of prevention, education, counselling, treatment and support services for youth and families. Learn more about our youth addiction and prevention services.

Section 11: Tobacco reduction

We help teachers plan, implement and evaluate prevention, advocacy, education and cessation strategies for their schools and classrooms. Learn more about tobacco reduction in schools.

Section 12: Children with special needs

Our Vancouver Pediatric Team is a group of occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nurses and social workers that provides support in schools for children with special medical needs. Learn more about our services for children with special needs.

Section 13: Youth clinics & sexual health

Our Youth Clinics and sexual health services provide services designed to meet the specific needs of youth including pregnancy, contraception, mental heath and addiction counselling and more. Learn more about our services targeted to youth.

Section 14: Children with medical conditions

Are there children at your school with asthma, seizures or diabetes? Learn how we can work together to establish a care plan to support these students.

Section 15: Allergies & anaphylaxis

Get tips to prevent allergic reactions and learn how we can work together with parents avoid and mitigate reactions.

Section 16: Head lice & bed bugs

Find out the role schools, the public health nurse and parents can play in the control and management of head lice and bed bugs.

Section 17: Multicultural Health Services

Learn about the health care and settlement programs available for new Canadians and refugees.

Section 18: Health Protection

We provide school inspection, education, tobacco control and licensing services to schools and child care facilities. Learn more about the health protection services we provide.