Healthy Schools Funded Nongovernmental Organizations

Funded nongovernmental organizations for healthy schools

Six national nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) support CDC-funded state education and health agencies, universities, and a tribal nation in four priority areas.

Part of this effort is the National Initiative to Advance Health Equity in K–12 Education by Preventing Chronic Disease and Promoting Healthy Behaviors. This 5-year cooperative agreement aims to improve the health and well-being of students and staff in underserved communities.

Priority 1—school health services

Strategies and activities to support access to physical, behavioral, and mental health services for students, especially students with chronic health conditions

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

AAP’s Enhancing School Health Services through Training, Education, Assistance, Mentoring, and Support (TEAMS) project offers key support. TEAMS offers support to develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based policies, practices, and programs. Specifically, TEAMS will provide technical assistance, professional development and training, and intensive project support. TEAMS will:

• Expand access to physical, mental, and behavioral health services.
• Improve the delivery of school-based mental health and health services.
• Increase reimbursement for services.
• Improve the management of chronic health conditions in schools.

AAP is an organization of 67,000 pediatricians. AAP is committed to the optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being of all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.

National Association of School Nurses (NASN)

NASN supports CDC-funded state education agencies, districts, schools, and school nurses. The goal is to improve the health and well-being of students and school staff nationwide. NASN uses evidence-based policies, practices, and programs that—when applied by school nurses—expand access to physical, mental, and behavioral health services. NASN aims to improve the delivery of school health services to students in underserved communities.

NASN’s vision is that all students are healthy, safe, and ready to learn. Its mission is to optimize student health and learning by advancing school nursing. NASN also seeks to ensure that a professional registered school nurse is in every school all day, every day.

Priority 2—emotional well-being

Strategies and activities to support the emotional well-being of students and staff

National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD)

NACDD works with Child Trends and Mental Health America. Together, they will support CDC-funded state education agencies, districts, schools, and NACDD constituents (state health department chronic disease staff). NACDD helps by creating, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based policies, practices, and programs supporting the emotional well-being of students and school staff.

NACDD is a national, nonprofit, professional association comprising 58 state and territorial health department chronic disease directors and their staff. They advocate, educate, and provide technical assistance to help with programming and understanding of chronic disease prevention.

The University of Maryland School of Medicine National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH)

NCSMH will partner with Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). Together, they support CDC-funded state education agencies, districts, schools, out-of-school time programs. NCSMH provides a model of professional development, technical assistance, dissemination, partnerships, and implementation. The development framework is the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Emotional Well-Being Learning Community.

The Learning Community is committed to improving emotional well-being for youth. The specific focus is underserved, economically marginalized communities. Such communities have high rates of chronic diseases and the risk factors that cause them.

NCSMH at the University of Maryland School of Medicine is a technical assistance and training center. NCSMH focuses on advancing research, training, policy, and practice in school mental health.

Priority 3—healthy out-of-school time

Strategies and activities to support healthy eating, physical activity, and emotional well-being of students and staff in out-of-school time programs

Education Development Center (EDC)

The Collaborative for Advancing Health Equity in Out-of-School Time (CAHE-OST) is a partnership between EDC and the National Afterschool Association (NAA). CAHE-OST will support CDC-funded state education agencies, districts, schools, and school-based out-of-school time programs. The Collaborative helps select, implement, and evaluate evidence-based health equity policies, practices, and programs. The aim is to improve the health and well-being of youth and staff from communities with high rates of chronic diseases.

The CAHE-OST will provide professional development and technical assistance to support goal-orientated action items. CAHE-OST works within the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) framework.

EDC is a global nonprofit that helps find lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity. EDC designs, implements, and evaluates programs to improve education, health, and economic opportunity worldwide. Its focus is on underserved populations.

Priority 4—school administrator support and action for healthy schools

Strategies and activities to support the adoption of Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) framework policies that promote healthy eating, physical activity, and emotional well-being for students and staff

Society of Health and Physical Educators: SHAPE America

SHAPE America will collaborate with CDC, national health and education organizations, state departments of education, and school districts. The aim is to create systems-level change that supports the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of students and staff.

SHAPE America will emphasize the connections between education and health—both physical and emotional health—while addressing health and educational inequities. The organization will support CDC-funded state education agencies, SHAPE constituents, and schools. The organization will help implement equitable, inclusive policies and practices that support WSCC, advance health equity, and reduce disparities. Its extensive network will provide a national system of peer-learning and resource sharing.

SHAPE America is the voice for over 200,000 health and physical education professionals across the United States. Its mission is to advance professional practice and promote research related to health and physical education, physical activity, dance, and sport.