Health Education

Health education is an integral part of community health programs, therefore, Health Educators provide information to individuals and communities in an effort to promote, maintain, and improve healthy lifestyles. Some of the issues that are of importance include substance abuse, safety, HIV/STDs, nutrition, high blood pressure, smoking, pregnancy, and diabetes.

Health educators are also responsible for collecting and analyzing data for the purpose of researching, designing, and presenting preventative health care programs. These individuals are involved in community coalitions in order to address concerns and issues that effect the health of communities. Health educators are often responsible for writing educational material, newsletters, public information reports, and grant proposals. They specialize in various areas that include clinical health, public health, community health, industrial health, and school health. The main objective for a health educator is to prevent disease and promote healthy lifestyles through knowledge and behavior change.
 

A Healthy & Fit School Advisory Committee is an advisory group of at least six individuals who represent segments of the community (teacher, coach, student, administrator, parent, school nurse, health care professional, community member, food service personnel, custodian, school bus driver, school secretary, school counselor). The group acts collectively to provide advice to the school regarding school health issues. HFSAC are committed to creating healthy school environments so students may reach their learning potential.

• Senate Bill 1627, the Healthy and Fit Kids Act of 2004, requires each public school in Oklahoma to establish a Healthy & Fit School Advisory Committee
• A critical need for effective School Health Programs
• A critical need to improve the health of school age children and adolescents in Oklahoma
• Healthy People 2010 objectives focus on the role of schools in improving the health of young people
• HFSAC can improve the health of schools
• Senate Bill 265, passed in 2005, includes Healthy and Fit School Advisory Committees as a component for accreditation
• Senate Bill 1459, passed in 2006, includes resources for Healthy and Fit School Advisory Committees

We Can! ( Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition) is a national public education outreach program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) designed to help children 8–13 years old stay at a healthy weight through improving food choices, increasing physical activity, and reducing screen time. The program is a collaboration of 4 Institutes of the NIH: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and National Cancer Institute (NCI). We Can! is unique because it provides practical tips and materials to parents and families in home and community settings.

Currently, there are over 135 communities in 34 states around the country that are a part of the We Can! program. Park and recreation departments, hospitals and healthcare professionals, schools, city government, the private sector and other community-based organizations are all collaborating through We Can! to provide science-based information and resources to families in their communities. Over 60 We Can! community events have been coordinated with a reach to over 100,000 people! We Can! partners with national medical, corporate, and family advocacy organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, Action for Healthy Kids, and Wal-Mart.

Choctaw County Health Department is in partnership with Boys and Girls Club After School Program to implement this science-based youth curricula.

For more information about the Coordinated Approach To Child Health visit:
CATCH Kids Club