Diabetes and School Health (DASH) Program
The Diabetes and School Health (DASH) Program is an enhanced care-coordination program that works to provide the best diabetes care through direct oversight, education and support to your child and your family.
We work with schools to provide additional access and care for students with Type 1 diabetes by offering on-going education and on-site clinical care. We also facilitate the delivery of your child’s medications and supplies directly to the school.
Our Goal
Our goal is to help your child and family to:
- Manage blood sugar trends and insulin doses on a regular basis
- Assist with insulin and diabetes supply prescriptions for home and school in coordination with our DASH pharmacy staff
- Educate your child regularly on one-to-one basis to increase understanding and improve diabetes care
- Optimize communication between you / your family, school and diabetes team
Diabetes Care Challenges
Diabetes can cause significant short and long-term health ramifications that last well into adulthood if not treated properly as a child. That is why we aim to address the following challenges in the following areas which often impact care:
- Understanding the complexity of type 1 diabetes
- Consistency in care
- Improving self-management
- Addressing healthy lifestyle
- Assisting with access to insulin and supplies
- Improving access to new technology in diabetes care
- Increased understanding of use of diabetes related technology
What to Expect
Once enrolled in DASH, children will work with school nurses to receive additional access and care to help better manage uncontrolled diabetes. This includes ongoing education, on-site clinical care, care coordination, and coordination of medication and supplies to be delivered directly to the school.
Children will still receive care from their school nurse (or other designated diabetes care team) and will continue to follow up with their diabetes team/provider at Nationwide Children’s Hospital every three months. This program does not replace the need for routine appointments, lab testing, exams and other recommended testing for their diabetes care.
Being enrolled in the DASH program adds another level of support, and also helps to facilitate communication between families, the school and the diabetes team by establishing quarterly meetings.
Referral Information
The DASH team works directly with the Nationwide Children’s Diabetes Clinic, school liaisons and school nursing staff to identify children who are currently patients of the Diabetes Clinic and eligible to participate. Families are contacted to help them enroll and provide consent and patient history. Once enrollment is complete, the first in-school visit with the DASH team, student, and school staff will be scheduled.
Participating School Districts
Children with Type 1 Diabetes managed at Nationwide Children's who attend schools in central Ohio are eligible, based on program availability. During the 2021-2022 school year, the program has enrolled students in over 50 individual schools across 10+ districts, including Columbus City, Whitehall, Southwestern, Groveport Madison as well as charter, private and religious schools.
