941 - Back to School: How Vermont is Addressing Chronic Absence

About this episode: Post-pandemic rates of absenteeism continue to climb across the country as many students navigate concerns that include anxiety and food insecurity. One state is fostering new partnerships and using a public health approach to directly address hurdles to school attendance. In this episode: Pediatricians Deanna Haag and Heidi Schumacher detail their work alongside educators, policymakers, and other medical professionals to advance health and educational equity across rural Vermont. Guest: Dr. Deanna Haag is a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Vermont and a pediatrician at Monarch Maples Pediatrics in Enosburg Falls, VT. Dr. Heidi Schumacher is a general pediatrician and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Vermont. She serves as faculty for the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program, a statewide initiative focused on improving children's health outcomes. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: Every Day Counts: Reducing Absenteeism in Vermont's School—University of Vermont Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships All in for Attendance: Education and Public Health Leaders Release Framework to Address Chronic Absence from Schools—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Chronic Absenteeism Is a Vital Sign for Kids' Health. New Framework Seeks a Cure—The 74 Transcript Information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.