Erin Maughan, an associate professor in the School of Nursing, has helped shape a major new global health resource as a co-lead writer for the World Health Organization’s latest guidance on school health services, “Making every school a health-promoting school: implementation guidance for school health services.”
School nursing expert Erin Maughan, an associate professor in the School of Nursing, has helped shape a major new global health resource as a co-lead writer for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) latest guidance on school health services. Maughan’s contribution reflects both her expertise and a growing global effort to ensure that every school can support the health of its students—an approach WHO sees as essential to stronger education systems and healthier communities.
The publication, “Making every school a health-promoting school: implementation guidance for school health services,” was released in May 2026 and offers practical strategies for countries to strengthen school-based health programs. The guide translates global recommendations into actionable steps, including planning tools and real-world examples to help schools deliver more comprehensive and equitable care to students.
“School health is complex because it bridges the world of education and health. These worlds do not always understand each other and often have different goals,” said Maughan, who has previously served on two WHO task forces focused on school health. “This document addresses hard issues such as partnerships, finance, and policy that support school health services, as well as highlights why school health services are an important component of a holistic school health program.”
The document fills a critical gap left by earlier WHO guidelines. While those guidelines defined what effective school health services should include, this new evidence-based resource focuses on how to implement them—an especially complex challenge at the intersection of education and healthcare systems.
Schools are increasingly recognized as vital settings for improving children’s health and well-being, while also supporting academic success and long-term outcomes. By offering guidance on partnerships, policy, workforce, and funding, the WHO resource aims to help countries build sustainable programs that reach more students worldwide.