Initiating and Sustaining GSAs Across the District as Part of a Vision for Equity: A Case Study in Chicago Public Schools.

Background: Increasingly, there are calls for educational equity to explicitly include LGBTQ+ students, including the creation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) clubs, or Genders and Sexualities Alliances (GSAs), which are associated with positive outcomes for LGBTQ+ students and promote a safer school climate for all students. However, less is known about strategies to initiate and sustain GSAs. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) serves as a case study of how to embrace LGBTQ+ equity through an evaluation of its current practices to support GSAs.

Dynamic Changes Toward Reflective Practice: Documented Shifts in Speech-Language Pathologists' Evaluation Practices.

Purpose: This qualitative study explored the experiences of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in professional learning communities (PLCs) during a year-long virtual professional development (PD) opportunity using an implementation science (IS) framework in an urban public school district for dynamic assessment (DA) training. The DA presented in the PD was modified based on ongoing discussions with key stakeholders in the district, so that it could be reasonably implemented in clinical practice while preserving the integrity of the DA's purpose.

Method: SLPs in an urban district were trained virtually using DA over the course of the school year.

Building a Future for School-Based Menstruation Health and Hygiene (MHH): Evaluating Implementation of a Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Policy in Chicago Public Schools.

Menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) inequities disproportionately impact communities who are marginalized. In 2018, Illinois passed the Learn with Dignity Act (LWDA) requiring schools to provide menstrual products in bathrooms, yet little is known about its impacts. This evaluation examined LWDA implementation across Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and identified barriers, facilitators, and lessons to inform future MHH policy implementations.

Facilitators and Barriers to Implementing a Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Policy in Chicago Public Schools.

Background: In 2013, the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) district passed a policy requiring schools to deliver comprehensive sexual health education (SHE) to all K-12th grade students. A performance improvement case study was conducted in the 2019-2020 school year to evaluate the implementation of the policy and identify lessons learned to support implementation in schools.

Methods: Key informant interviews were conducted with 11 school principals and 29 teachers to discuss SHE implementation at their school.

Community health worker perspectives: examining current responsibilities and strategies for success.

Background: Community health worker (CHW) interventions have demonstrated positive impacts globally, with the COVID-19 pandemic further highlighting the potential of CHWs at the frontline to support prevention, outreach, and healthcare delivery. As the workforce expands, understanding the work and capabilities of CHWs is key to design successful interventions. This study examines the perspectives of experienced CHWs in Chicago about their current work and strategies for success.

A Measure of Swallow Effort Using the Borg Category Ratio 10 Perceived Exertion Scale.

Purpose: With the emphasis on patient-centered care, tools to adequately measure the experience of swallowing are an important part of clinical care. Swallowing effort is one such experience. However, few measurement tools capture swallowing effort in the moment of swallowing to quantify effort.

Evaluation of a Mandatory Professional Development on Supporting Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender-Nonconforming Students in Chicago Public Schools.

To address the reality that LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and others) students remain more likely to experience harm, harassment, and violence at school as well as miss school due to feeling unsafe and the fact that students identifying as transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming (TNBGNC) are at even greater risk of bullying, harassment, and significant mental health concerns, Chicago Public Schools' (CPS) Office of Student Health and Wellness (OSHW) created a novel professional development (PD) requirement in 2019, entitled "Supporting Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender Nonconforming Students." The PD, a recorded webinar encouraging independent time for reflection and planning, takes an intersectional approach and is required of all CPS staff members across the entire district. A pre- and postevaluation of the PD, guided by the Kirkpatrick model, was completed by 19,503 staff members.

Title IX Experiences of Pregnant and Parenting Youth in Chicago: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Under Title IX, pregnant and/or parenting students (PPY) are protected from discrimination and are required to receive equal access to education. This study examines the implementation of Title IX, investigating whether Title IX rights are upheld for pregnant and/or parenting students attending Chicago Public Schools (CPS) using qualitative research methods.

Methods: Stakeholder interviews with pregnant and/or parenting students and staff members at CPS were conducted.

School-Based Delivery of Vision Care in Chicago Public Schools.

Background: In 2012, Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Department of Public Health partnered together to create the Chicago School-Based Vision Program (CSBVP). This ongoing, city-wide program provides school-based vision services (eye examinations, eyeglasses provision, and eye care referrals) to students with limited access.

Methods: Descriptive analysis of the program operations from 2012 to 2020, including number of students served and exam findings during 2017-2020, as well as lessons learned and recommendations for reproducing the successes of the CSBVP in other contexts.

Scaling Out Virtual Interview Training for Transition-Age Youth: A Quasi-Experimental Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Study.

In a previous randomized controlled trial (RCT), (VIT-TAY) enhanced employment for autistic youth receiving transition services. For this study, a non-randomized hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial evaluated whether VIT-TAY maintained its core implementation and effectiveness functions when scaled out to students with disabilities in 32 schools. Also, we compared the implementation and effectiveness between VIT-TAY and (VR-JIT; developed for adults and previously evaluated in students with disabilities).

Use of Frame Running for Adolescent Athletes With Movement Challenges: Study of Feasibility to Support Health and Participation.

Children and adolescents with movement challenges have lower instances of physical activity and longer time spent in sedentary behaviors compared to children with typical development. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a sport-based youth development running program modified for accessibility using a running frame and to evaluate initial evidence for its efficacy on endurance and functional strength. We completed four 8-week seasons (2-3 times per week) in a combination of 3 different formats by season: online remote (winter and spring), in person in a community park (winter, spring, and summer), and in person in an afterschool setting (autumn).

Development of a School Health Policy Implementation Survey: A Delphi Study.

Data on school health policy implementation are limited due to the absence of a validated measurement tool. The purpose of this study was to create and pilot a school health policy implementation survey. A modified, four-round Delphi process was used to achieve consensus on content and format of the survey.

Reimagining educational equity through strategic alliance partnerships in response to the USA STEM-M diversity gap.

Addressing the USA diversity gap in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEM-M) through strategic alliance partnerships (SAPs) is an innovative solution toward combating the educational inequalities presented in K-12 education for marginalized youth interested in STEM-M professions. We present a model that unites multiple stakeholder s committed to diversifying the workforce in STEM-M, through the implementation of a multi-year high school pipeline program designed to better achieve STEM-M equity, access and opportunity at the secondary school level. We developed a unique model based on an SAP in a large metropolitan area in the Midwest that joins an Academic Medical Center and a local Public High School.

Bilingual Supports for Clinicians: Where Do We Go From Here?

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify and define the support needs of bilingual speech-language pathologists working in one urban school district and to investigate the experiences of the clinicians engaged in a professional learning community (PLC) format within their public school system. Method Twenty-three bilingual speech-language pathologists met in a PLC over the course of 5 months, with a total of four sessions that were a mix of in person and virtual. The participants engaged in group discussions and activities alongside their peers to address self-identified areas of support and need.

Caregiver Perceptions of Children's Psychological Well-being During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Importance: Understanding youth well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic can help appropriately allocate resources and inform policies to support youth.

Objective: To examine caregiver-reported changes in the psychological well-being of their children 3 to 4 months after the start of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, and to examine the association of caregiver-reported COVID-19 exposure and family stressors with caregiver perceptions of child psychological well-being.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This survey study used an anonymous survey distributed via email from June 24 to July 15, 2020, to 350 000 families of students attending public schools in Chicago, Illinois.

Strategies to Support LGBTQ+ Students in High Schools: What Did We Learn in Chicago Public Schools?

In 2013, the Chicago Public Schools district received funding from the Division of Adolescent and School Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to implement a series of strategies aimed to reduce HIV, STIs (sexually transmitted diseases), and related risk behaviors among students. One such set of strategies included "safe and supportive environments" (SSE), aimed to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and other LGBTQ+ students. SSE strategies included professional development and technical assistance provided to K-12 school staff (teachers, administrators, social workers, etc.

Nursing care for pediatric patients with autism spectrum disorders: A cross-sectional survey of perceptions and strategies.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe nursing staff perspectives about caring for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in the hospital, strategies they use to support care, and relationships between these factors.

Design And Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey design with nursing staff at a large pediatric hospital system in the United States was employed. The researcher-designed, pilot-tested survey assessed participant demographics, knowledge about ASD, perceived effectiveness caring for children with ASD, previous training, and current strategy use.

Trends in School Attendance for Low-Income Children with Chronic Health Conditions: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: In this study, we aimed to determine how school attendance changed over time for children on Medicaid with chronic health conditions enrolled in a comprehensive care coordination program called Coordinated HEalthcare for Complex Kids (CHECK).

Methods: Medicaid beneficiaries from one managed care organization were randomized into 2 arms: CHECK program services or usual care. The final sample was 1322.

Viewing Sexual Health Education through the Lens of Critical Pedagogy: A Case Study in Chicago Public Schools.

Comprehensive sexual health education (SHE) programs are being implemented in many state and local jurisdictions. Much research has focused on the strength and effectiveness of such programs. However, the experiences of teachers and students in their implementation is underexplored.

Mathematical modeling study of school-based chlamydia screening: potential impact on chlamydia prevalence in intervention schools and surrounding communities.

Background: Chlamydia screening in high schools offers a way to reach adolescents outside of a traditional clinic setting. Using transmission dynamic modeling, we examined the potential impact of high-school-based chlamydia screening programs on the burden of infection within intervention schools and surrounding communities, under varying epidemiological and programmatic conditions.

Methods: A chlamydia transmission model was calibrated to epidemiological data from three different settings.

Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of an Occupational Therapy Intervention for Older Adults With Chronic Conditions in a Primary Care Clinic.

Importance: Occupational therapy can play a role in primary care management of chronic diseases among older adults.

Objective: To assess the feasibility of delivering a primary care occupation-focused intervention (Integrated PRimary care and Occupational therapy for Aging and Chronic disease Treatment to preserve Independence and Functioning, or i-PROACTIF) for older adults with chronic disease.

Design: Feasibility study comparing i-PROACTIF with complex care management using a two-group randomized controlled trial design with data gathered at baseline and during and after the 8-wk intervention.

Teen pregnancy in Chicago: Who is at risk?

Background: Teenage pregnancy, with its associated health and social consequences for young people and society as a whole, is one of the nation's most important public health issues. The purpose of this study was to use Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data describe self-reported, pregnancy experiences in 9-12th grade Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students and identify teens at highest risk based on gender, grade-level, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

Methods: Secondary data analysis of the 2017 CPS high school Youth Risk Behavior Survey was conducted.