Healthy Schools Healthy Families

Ambulatory Care Network Community Health Programs and Services

Overview

The Healthy Schools, Healthy Families (HSHF) is a coordinated school health program for medically underserved children in New York City, and is comprised of over fifteen community-based, local government, public, and private partners in conjunction with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Community Pediatrics and Weill Cornell Medical College. HSHF began in PS 128M in 1999 and in 2004 expanded to four schools in Washington Heights (PS 4, 132, and 152) and West Harlem (PS/IS 180), adding two East Harlem schools (PS 102 and PS 206) in 2005. HSHF serves some 5,000 children and their families, as well as the staff and community of the seven elementary schools.

HSHF is based on the CDC coordinated school health program model, consisting of the following eight components:

Health Education
Physical Education
Health Services
Nutrition Services
Counseling and Psychological Services
Healthy School Environment
Health Promotion for Staff
Family/Community Involvement

Mission

To utilize community partnerships to promote healthy lifestyles and identify and address unmet health and wellness needs in the entire school community using a school-based decision making model

Goals

Cultivate a school culture which values physical activity and healthy eating
Achieve environment and policy change that promotes healthy lifestyles and supports healthful behaviors
Facilitate access to services for children with identified health needs, particularly for children with asthma
Identify and facilitate insurance enrollment for children and families
Ensure that 100% of children have completed their required immunizations
Promote mental wellness for students, parents and school staff utilizing physical, psychoeducational and therapeutic activities to ensure optimal academic and social performance (This goal is only being actively pursued at PS 4 and PS 128.)

Outreach & Accomplishments

Over 200 students and family members have been referred for insurance enrollment.
Each school has a viable Fitness and Nutrition Committee, which meets monthly in each of our schools.
Each school has a Healthy Snack Policy.
To date, over 300 children have been referred for case coordination to the WIN for Asthma program in 2008-2009 school year.
In conjunction with Asthma Free School Zone, each of our schools had an environmental assessment to identify asthma triggers in the schools. Each school also hosted No Idling Events to educate the school community on the dangers of idling.
HSHF has a social marketing campaign which promotes a different healthy habit every month. The 2007-2008 HSHF Social Marketing Campaign featured 157 school-specific health promotion events as well as monthly school bulletin boards, classroom lesson aides, weekly morning announcements and monthly staff newsletters, all tied to the healthy habit of the month.
Despite the severe resource limitations faced by our schools, multiple new physical activity programs for children have been implemented, including: Tai Chi, Mighty Milers/Jeter Meter running program, Capoeira, Transitional Exercise, classroom yoga, and double dutch/jump rope programs.
Parent and Staff wellness programs were established at each school.
In conjunction with our community partners, HSHF held 341 nutrition events yielding 31,100 participant encounters in the 2007-2008 school year. Nutrition programming included CookShop Classroom, Staff Challenge Healthy Habits Competition, Breakfast Clubs, Nutrition Clubs, Nutrition Fairs, Fresh Fruit Fridays and parent workshops.
For the fourth consecutive year, over 99% of HSHF students are up to date with immunizations at participating schools, as a result of HSHF outreach and partnership with DOE staff.
Fresh Food Fresh Start farmers market at PS/IS 180 has been providing access to affordable, organic produce to the West Harlem community for four growing seasons. Fresh Food Fresh Start has been embraced by PS/IS 180, and now the school's PTA has taken ownership of this initiative.
Body Mass Index measured for all students and results reported to families. BMI Workshops are held annually at each school to teach parents how to make realistic lifestyle changes to promote healthy habit development.
HSHF continues to be an example of best practices for school-based health. In 2007-2008, HSHF testified at the New York State Assembly on physical activity in schools and the New York State Food Policy Council on health promotion and access to healthy foods in low-income communities. HSHF Leadership are members of a multitude of local, state and national coalitions and task forces aiming to combat childhood obesity and promote school wellness. In addition, HSHF continues to be the model for the newly developed New York-Presbyterian Center for Best Practices in Childhood Obesity Prevention and Reduction. As the Center further develops, HSHF's mission in promoting healthy lifestyles will further expand across Northern Manhattan, serving as a model for NYC and New York State