A University and Middle School Mentor-Scholar Partnership

The State University of New York at Oswego (SUNY Oswego) and the Oswego City School district have created a campus-community partnership through a college program that matches SUNY Oswego students as mentors with at-risk youth in grades 7 and 8 in a structured environment in the school district. The structure is academically based for college students to earn credit based on the tenets of mentoring, youth development, and relationship building. The middle school students, or “mentees” come from an at-risk background that is academic, socially, or behaviorally based. The school district recommends students for inclusion in the program. This innovative program includes a course that is rich with the pedagogy of service-learning, builds leadership characteristics and teamwork through course discussions, workshops, and the mentormentee relationship. The community benefits with increased support to at-risk students and building a pipeline between the college and K–12 community. The Mentor-Scholar Program tracks K–12 impact through state assessments, grades, social-school success outcomes, college mentors course evaluations and grades. The program tracks the impact on college students through grade assessment and reflection. The program was formed five years ago and has grown from thirty mentors with sixty mentees to 120 mentors with 300 mentees this past semester. Initial research shows an increase in attendance and GPA for K–12 students enrolled in the program and leadership skill development for college students

Receipt of medications for opioid use disorder among youth engaged in primary care: data from 6 health systems

PURPOSE: Little is known about prevalence and treatment of OUD among youth engaged in primary care (PC). Medications are the recommended treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) for adolescents and young adults (youth). This study describes the prevalence of OUD, the prevalence of medication treatment for OUD, and patient characteristics associated with OUD treatment among youth engaged in PC. METHODS: This cross-sectional study includes youth aged 16-25 years engaged in PC. Eligible patients had ≥ 1 PC visit during fiscal years (FY) 2014-2016 in one of 6 health systems across 6 states. Data from electronic health records and insurance claims were used to identify OUD diagnoses, office-based OUD medication treatment, and patient demographic and clinical characteristics in the FY of the first PC visit during the study period. Descriptive analyses were conducted in all youth, and stratified by age (16-17, 18-21, 22-25 years). RESULTS: Among 303,262 eligible youth, 2131 (0.7%) had a documented OUD diagnosis. The prevalence of OUD increased by ascending age groups. About half of youth with OUD had documented depression or anxiety and one third had co-occurring substance use disorders. Receipt of medication for OUD was lowest among youth 16-17 years old (14%) and highest among those aged 22-25 (39%). CONCLUSIONS: In this study of youth engaged in 6 health systems across 6 states, there was low receipt of medication treatment, and high prevalence of other substance use disorders and mental health disorders. These findings indicate an urgent need to increase medication treatment for OUD and to integrate treatment for other substance use and mental health disorders

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Inclusion in the middle years: Supporting ethnic and cultural diversity

A textbook for pre-service teachers providing practical guidance on managing classroom behaviour in the middle years The middle years of learning are increasingly recognised as one of the most challenging yet opportune periods for growth and development. Based on the Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) framework, this book will equip educators with the appropriate knowledge, skills and strategies to support learners in maximising their educational success, managing emotional issues and making a successful transition to adulthood. Part A outlines the principles of the PBS framework, defines key characteristics of middle-years learners and provides insight from neuroscience into the nature of the adolescent brain. This section also looks at the importance of listening to the student voice, highlights issues that can arise during the transition into the middle years of schooling, and discusses the use of evidence-based PBS practices to encourage engagement and establish clear behavioural expectations with learners. Part B focuses on the practical aspects of implementing universal PBS strategies in the classroom, including developing strong and effective relationships with students, promoting school connectedness and supporting self-regulation. Part C examines more focused and intensive interventions, and provides strategies for working with students experiencing stress, anxiety and bullying. Finally, Part D discusses ways to support a range of perspectives and experiences in the middle-years, including trauma-affected students, ethnic and cultural diversity and students on the autism spectrum, as well as ways to use ICT to re-engage vulnerable students. This is an essential reference for both primary and secondary educators, revealing how PBS strategies can play a profound role in positively transforming classroom behaviour. [Blurb