The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), within its “What Works in Schools” initiative, has awarded Case Western Reserve University and 15 participating Cuyahoga County public school districts $1.8 million for health education.
A new partnership between Case Western Reserve’s Prevention Research Center for Healthy Neighborhoods (PRCHN) and the First Ring Schools Collaborative—supported by the Educational Service Center of Northeastern Ohio and the Social Advocates for Youth (SAY) Coalition of the Bellefaire Jewish Children’s Bureau—aims to build a comprehensive model that improves academic achievement by promoting long-term health to K-12 students.
“We believe all children are entitled to both resources and opportunities to build and foster a healthy life,” said Kristina Knight, project director at Case Western Reserve. “Schools are a vital setting for improving health outcomes, and, together, we will work to ensure that every child has the tools they need to thrive physically, mentally and emotionally.”
The participating school districts are: Beachwood, Bedford, Berea, Brooklyn, Cleveland Heights-University Heights, East Cleveland, Fairview Park, Garfield Heights, Mayfield, Orange, Richmond Heights, Shaker Heights, Solon, South Euclid-Lyndhurst and Warrensville Heights.
Plans are to expand the program to other districts within Cuyahoga County over the next year and serve as a national model for health in schools.
The collaboration, which unites educators, health experts and community stakeholders, focuses on creating evidence-based strategies to promote healthy behaviors and mental well-being for students.
With the CDC’s support, the project will develop innovative tools and resources that address critical health issues, such as nutrition, physical activity, mental health and substance-use prevention.
The PRCHN will provide academic expertise, research capabilities and evaluation support, while the 15 local school districts will implement the program.
The initiative also includes training for educators, workshops for families and the integration of new curricula aligned with the CDC’s guidelines to foster healthier school environments.
The partnership will begin with a kick-off event today (Oct. 28) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Prevention Research Center at the MidTown Tech Park, 6700 Euclid Ave. in Cleveland. The public is invited to attend to learn more about the program. Register to attend.