State Programs
Through the cooperative agreement State Public Health Actions to Prevent and Control Diabetes, Heart Disease, Obesity and Associated Risk Factors and Promote School Health, CDC’s Healthy Schools program funds all 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC) to reduce the risk factors associated with childhood obesity, manage chronic conditions in schools, and promote the well-being and healthy development of all children and youth. The Healthy Schools program supports the implementation of evidence-based school health strategies by funding state health departments, providing technical assistance, and developing specialized tools and resources to help the work between state health and education agencies. This funding facilitates collaboration across sectors through memorandum of agreements between state public health and education agencies.
The program funds two components: the basic component, which provides base-level funding to all 50 states and DC; and the enhanced component, which provides additional resources to 32 states for more school-based intensive interventions and greater health outcomes. Collaboration between communities, public health, and education agencies makes it easier for Americans to take charge of their health.This teamwork results in a healthier society, with healthier students in our schools and early care and education centers, healthier workers in our workforce, and a healthier population in the health care system.
Basic component strategies to promote school health will be implemented in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. State health departments:
- Promote the adoption of physical education/physical activity (PE/PA) in schools.
- Promote the adoption of food service guidelines/nutrition standards, which include sodium.
Basic Enhanced
The basic enhanced component strategy, supported jointly with CDC’s Division of Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, will be implemented in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. State health departments:
- Create supportive nutrition environments in schools by establishing standards (including sodium) for all competitive foods; prohibiting advertising of unhealthy foods, and promoting healthy foods in schools including those sold and served within school meal programs and other venues.
The enhanced component provides additional support to maximize the reach and impact of school health programs in 32 states. These state health departments:
- Support quality physical education/physical activity in early child care education and K-12 in schools and develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAP).
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Arizona |
Arkansas |
California |
Colorado |
Connecticut |
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Florida |
Idaho |
Indiana |
Iowa |
Kansas |
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Kentucky |
Maine |
Maryland |
Massachusetts |
Michigan |
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Minnesota |
Mississippi |
Missouri |
Montana |
Nebraska |
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New Jersey |
New York |
North Carolina |
Oregon |
Pennsylvania |
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Rhode Island |
South Carolina |
Tennessee |
Utah |
Virginia |
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Washington |
Wisconsin |
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- Strengthen school health services through policies, processes and protocols to meet the daily management and emergency care needs of students with chronic conditions. (i.e. Asthma, Diabetes, Food Allergies and Anaphylaxis, and Epilepsy)
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Alabama |
Arizona |
California |
Connecticut |
Indiana |
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Kansas |
Kentucky |
Maryland |
Michigan |
Mississippi |
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Utah |
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Washington |
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Wisconsin |
In Alaska, the Department of Health and Social Services and the Department of Education and Early development held their 10th Annual School Health & Wellness Institute, one of the largest and most successful to date. Staff from 45 of Alaska’s 54 local education agencies (LEAs) attended the Institute and received professional development and technical assistance in school nutrition standards, physical activity in schools, the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model, the School Health Index, and the important link between health and academics.
During the Institute, participants worked toward the adoption of Alaska’s Gold Standard School Wellness Policy, higher standards for physical education instruction, and increasing physical activity. The event was a collaborative effort with the Department of Education and Early Development, the Division of Public Health, the Division of Behavioral Health, the Alaska Mental Health Trust, and the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) Alaska. Fortified with this expert training and evidence-based strategies, school staff attendees returned to their districts to create healthier schools environments with healthier options for snacks and meals, and plenty of activity breaks and more quality PE classes and recess.
Strategies to create healthier schools reached more than 85,000 students across the state of New Hampshire when teachers participated in 7 CDC training events. Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) and six other training opportunities were provided in the state during the 2014-2015 school year. Leaders from local education agencies learned about nutrition environments, nutrition education, and the HealthierUS School Challenge Awards. The CDC-funded NH State Public Health Actions program collaborated with the New Hampshire Department of Education and the University of New Hampshire’s Cooperative Extension in these training efforts.
500,000 students were the benefactors of training received by teachers through the Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) state team. The team provided professional development and technical assistance to improve the nutrition environment in school districts across the state. The AFHK state team hosted a breakfast summit, Smart Snacks workshop and “Building Your School Health Team From A—Z” training for over 100 participants representing 59 school districts. Additional trainings are scheduled in the coming year and the AFHK state team will strengthen wellness programs, host nutrition services webinars, promote online “lunchroom techniques” resources, and form vibrant school health advisory councils. The state team works in partnership with Washington State’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and other school advocates. A firm network of committed activity and wellness proponents exists because the state already has a very robust training cadre for CDC’s Training Tools for Healthy Schools. These evidence-based tools promote health and academic success.
