1. a. The Commissioner of Education shall appoint a State School Nurse Consultant. The State School Nurse Consultant shall be a New Jersey certified school nurse who holds a master’s degree and has demonstrated higher-level leadership with recent school nursing experience. The State School Nurse Consultant shall work with school districts and school nurses to facilitate best practices by advancing comprehensive school health services that address the health and wellness of all students. The State School Nurse Consultant, in performing the duties of the position, shall collaborate with the Department of Health, other State agencies, and associated stakeholders.

b. It shall be the duty of the State School Nurse Consultant to:

(1) Serve as a liaison and resource expert in school nursing and comprehensive school health services for county, State, and national school health organizations, and policy setting groups;

(2) Provide consultation and technical assistance to support school districts in facilitating parent and community engagement;

(3) Coordinate school health program activities with public health, social services, environmental, and educational agencies as well as other public and private entities;

(4) Monitor, interpret, synthesize, and disseminate relevant information associated with changes in health and medical care, school nursing practice, legislation, and legal issues that impact schools;

(5) Facilitate the development of policies, standards, and guidelines to enhance comprehensive school health services;

(6) Foster and promote professional development for school nurses, which may include planning, coordinating, or providing educational guidance, and networking with universities and other providers of continuing education to meet identified needs;

(7) Promote quality assurance of comprehensive school health services by advocating for the use of evidence-based school nursing practice and participating in the National Association of School Nurses data collection initiatives;

(8) Participate in State-level public interagency partnerships and private partnerships with Statewide stakeholders to foster comprehensive school health services, representing school nurses in multi-disciplinary collaborations;

(9) Initiate, participate in, and utilize research studies related to comprehensive school health services, the health needs of children and youth, school nursing practice, and related issues; and

(10) Serve as a liaison regarding school health issues with the Department of Health and the Legislature.

L.2020, c.85, s.1.