The health and education leadership project: A school initiative for children and adolescents with chronic health conditions

An estimated 40% of children and adolescents with chronic health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and hemophilia, experience school-related proble ms. Many children living with a chronic illness do not need or may not qual ify for traditional special education programs, yet they may have unmet lea rning needs associated with chronic absenteeism, disease symptoms or side e ffects of medical treatments. Using principles of family-centered schools, a coalition of schools, families, pediatricians, and nurses can work cooper atively to help students with chronic conditions succeed This article descr ibes the second phase of an ongoing initiative designed to support public s chools in their efforts to meet the health and education needs of students students with chronic health conditions.