Major Grant to Improve the Health & Safety of Students Across New England

Epilepsy Foundation New England (EFNE) has secured a PhRMA CAREs Grant to improve the lives of students across New England. The funds will be used to train school personnel on how to recognize and respond to a student seizure in the classroom or on the athletic field. The grant will help EFNE train approximately 10,000 teachers in Massachusetts and Maine.

“Early detection of seizures not only improves care for students, but it can save lives,” said John Hedstrom, President and CEO of Epilepsy Foundation New England. “In Massachusetts, only about two and a half percent of public school employees have received seizure first aid training. This critical grant would allow us to increase that number dramatically.”

Maine recently passed a bill to become the second state in New England to require all school personnel to undergo training on seizure recognition and safety. Massachusetts lawmakers are considering similar legislation. 

Recognizing that each community faces unique barriers, the trade group PhRMA established the CAREs grant program in April 2020 to provide funding for community-led projects that help streamline care and improve access to medicines across the United States.