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Action for Healthy Kids: Lessons From the Field. Alicia Moag-Stahlberg, MS, RD Executive Director. Action for Healthy Kids. Is a unique initiative comprised of a national and state volunteer network of more than 4,000 people that spans the areas of: Education Health Fitness Nutrition
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Action for Healthy Kids:Lessons From the Field Alicia Moag-Stahlberg, MS, RD Executive Director
Action for Healthy Kids • Is a unique initiative comprised of anational and state volunteer network of more than4,000 people that spans the areas of: • Education • Health • Fitness • Nutrition • Public Sector • Government • Industry Parents Principals Teachers Doctors Legislators Students
AFHK Is Different • National movement focused on producing lasting change • Integrated national-state network designed to accelerate change (51 State Teams, 43 national organizations, government agencies) • Focused on furthering efforts, identifying gaps, and not being duplicative • Public-private partnership with collaborations at national, state and local levels • In-kind support exceeds $3 million/year • Financial support from NFL, National Dairy Council and Robert Wood Johnson
State Teams Were Asked • Form a team with cross-functional membership and governance/structure • Assess state activities and integrate, collaborate, coordinate • Develop Action Plan, focus on 2-3 goals with measurable objectives • Take action at state,district & building levels (K-12) • Provide periodic updates/reports • Take advantage of national infrastructure and expertise
State Team Action Hubs • Forming • Recruitment • Team building • Informing • State meetings • Written materials • Guidelines, recommendations • Stimulating Change • Awards/grants • Pilot projects • School health council
Continuum of Engagement Cooperation Coordination Collaboration
Forming Teams – Best Practices • Clarity in team purpose • Balance of action and team process • Shared responsibilities and commitment • Clear roles and decision making process • Strong leadership (and shared) • Address self-interest • Focused action plan with achievable objectives
Informing Critical Audiences • Conferences/State Summits • Michigan • Ohio • Lunch and Learns • West Virginia • Rhode Island • Articles, White Papers, Guidelines • Virginia • Idaho • Indiana • Alabama • Massachusetts • Pennsylvania
Stimulating Change at Building Level • Increasing availability of healthy foods • District of Columbia • Florida • Awards and mini-grants • Alabama • Minnesota • Montana • Student Health Advisory Councils • Texas • Nebraska
Evaluating School-Based Approaches • Essential Criteria • Criteria represent level of standards that all approaches should strive for • Critical Criteria • Criteria addresses the adoptability of an approach • Together provide comprehensive assessment and development tool
Based on professional theories, national standards Practical and realistic Goal is clear, understandable Specific measurable objectives that improve skill, attitude, behavior, knowledge, environment or policy Age & culturally appropriate Engaging, interactive, skill-based Can be adapted to a variety of situations Monitoring, assessment and evaluation component is addressed Goals are supported by results from evaluation Approach is easy to implement with clear instructions training resources contact information for additional resources available in other languages Essential Criteria
Critical Criteria • Cost effective and resources are available for its implementation • Fits into required school mandates, has positive effect on achievement outcomes, helps meet state standards • Can be integrated across curricula, feasible within school schedule, aligned with CSH model • Has strong support critical audiences and key stakeholders were involved with its planning • Approach is sustainable, not just one-time event
Improving Nutrition and Physical Activity • Discusses the costs associated with the status quo • Link between good nutrition, physical activity and achievement • Hidden/indirect costs to schools from poor nutrition and sedentary lifestyles • Absenteeism • Staff health care • Remediation • Dispensing meds
Join Us in Helping America’s Youth Dedicated to improving children’s health and readiness to learn through better nutrition and physical activity in schools For more information please visit: www.ActionForHealthyKids.org