School nurse Rhonda Valdez is among a vanguard of state-certified school nurses, social workers and counselors hired this year to try to keep marijuana out of the hands of youths.
The new positions are funded by a $9.2 million grant parceled out among 42 school districts and charter schools by the Colorado Department of Education. Money is going to districts and schools that are near legal marijuana shops and have created evidence-based plans to discourage underage use of marijuana, said Jeremy Meyer, spokesman for the Colorado Department of Education.
STATE BY STATE: Colorado Cannabis News
The legalization of recreational cannabis in Colorado in 2014 for anyone age 21 or older increased the likelihood of use by underage residents, the CDE said. Bolstering the number of qualified health care officials, including school nurses, on campuses, where they could work with students inside and outside classrooms, can help stem the tide, the agency reasoned.
“We and other school health professionals are in a unique position in our schools in that we see these kids every day and we can educate, assess and assist them with substance abuse or behavioral health issues,” Valdez said. “We can help keep kids from walking through that door that can lead to bad things.”
The grant money effectively eases the shortage of school nurses to treat all students in many schools.
