Health, Safety, and Wellness

Wellness, inclusion, safety and health are at the heart of a vibrant and connected school community. Barriers to learning do not exist as isolated issues, therefore, our solutions must be interconnected too. This page contains resources and supports that, together, address these complexities and assist in the strengthening of Oregon school communities. At the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), we foster academic success in part through our commitment to school wellness, inclusion, safety and health.

To learn more how about ODE thinks about health, check out the Health in Education page.

Integrated Student Supports

Safe and Inclusive Schools

The Safe and Inclusive Schools team leads Oregon’s School Safety and Prevention System. This statewide framework supports tools and training in suicide prevention, behavioral safety (threat) assessment, bullying/cyberbullying prevention and sexual violence prevention to help schools create inclusive environments where students and staff feel safe, supported, and connected.

Mental Health

ODE's Mental Health page includes guidance to support mental health for entire K-12 school communities, from students and families to educators and administration.

Foundational Student Health Services

Medicaid in Education

Oregon’s School-Based Health Services (SBHS) Medicaid Program supports increased student access to school health services by helping schools and early childhood programs get reimbursed for health services provided to Medicaid-enrolled children and young adults (0–21).

Substance Use Prevention and Intervention

The Substance Use Prevention and Intervention webpage provides districts, families, and community partners with information on requirements, best practices, and other tools that they can use in planning for and implementing comprehensive substance use prevention and intervention services.

School Health Services

Supports schools and districts in providing direct health services, promoting substance use prevention, and leveraging school Medicaid billing to improve student health, safety, and well-being.

Communicable Disease Planning

System Alignment

Employee Well-being

ODE has multiple initiatives that align closely with the well-being of the education workforce, such as those relating to teacher practices, leadership practices, attendance, care and connection, TSEL, and discipline/behavior.

Full-Service Community Schools

The Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) model is a research-based framework that centers a community’s unique assets and needs to stretch every dollar to transform school climate. The FSCS model helps education leaders understand how to meet Oregon's Accountability Framework by centering community voice in decision-making, leading to equitable improvements in student outcomes and access to high-quality learning.

Cross-Agency Partnerships

Wellness, inclusion, safety and health extend beyond the classroom. To address the needs of school communities and foster academic success, we partner closely with the Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon Department of Human Services, and others. Through cross-agency partnerships, ODE is committed to supporting school members’ sense of belonging, wellness, and wellbeing..