Action for Healthy Kids:Lessons From the Field

Alicia Moag-Stahlberg, MS, RDExecutive Director

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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

Principals

Teachers

Doctors

Legislators

Students

Parents

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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

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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

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State Team Action Hubs• Forming

– Recruitment– Team building

• Informing– State meetings– Written materials– Guidelines, recommendations

• Stimulating Change– Awards/grants– Pilot projects– School health council

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Continuum of Engagement

Cooperation Coordination Collaboration

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Essential Criteria• 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

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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

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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

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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