Southwest Montana News

Krista Glaus, a registered nurse, has been awarded a School Health Mini-Grant from the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS). The grant, amounting to $1,000, will be used for staff CPR and first aid training in the Whitehall School District.

Glaus provides nursing services within the district, working with students and their families to ensure health and well-being. She is one of several school nurses who received grants from the DPHHS School Health Program for the 2022-2023 academic year. The funds will be utilized throughout the year to train teachers, coaches, and other staff on recognizing and responding to cardiac emergencies.

Sara Howser-Burke, DPHHS School Nurse Consultant for the Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Bureau, praised Glaus's efforts. “School nurses already have a lot on their plate, especially when there is only one person who is responsible for a large number of students,” Howser-Burke stated. “These nurses recognize that their efforts can go a long way to help increase the safety and quality of life for both individual students and the school community as a whole.”

Montana experiences over 700 sudden cardiac arrests annually with fewer than 100 survivors. Nationally, more than 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur each year with nearly 90% resulting in fatalities. Immediate CPR from nearby individuals significantly impacts survival rates. Properly trained employees can respond effectively before emergency responders arrive.

The School Health Mini-Grant Program was established by the Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Bureau to support Montana schools in creating safe environments through evidence-based chronic disease management training. Funding comes from a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant alongside state Master Settlement Agreement funds allocated to DPHHS.

Information about program applications is available online on the School Health Mini-Grant Program website. Eligible applicants include school nurses, Head Start nurses, city-county public health nurses, certified asthma or diabetes educators, school counselors, and administrators.

For further details about cardiac arrest in Montana and available public health resources for schools visit https://www.dphhs.mt.gov/schoolhealth/safeenvironment/firstaid.