NASHVILLE, Tenn.--()--Arkansas Children’s Hospital, in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Education and the Arkansas Department of Health through their Coordinated School Health Program, announced today that approximately 8,000 kindergarten through high school teachers will have access to HealthTeacher’s comprehensive on-line health education curriculum with the goal of improving the health literacy of students in the 270+ participating schools.
“This is a progressive partnership and we are honored to be working with Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Arkansas Coordinated School Health to deliver a sustainable, comprehensive approach to improving the health of Arkansas’ children.”
“Arkansas Children’s Hospital has long maintained an active community outreach,” says Scott Gordon, Executive Vice President at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. “Our desire is to reach children, their families and the people who influence and shape their lives in the most effective way we can. Partnering with educators to teach health in schools is a natural way for us to reach children so we can positively impact their health habits.”
Many high-risk health behaviors often are established during childhood and adolescence, which extend into adulthood. These behaviors are preventable with proper education. According to the Centers for Disease Control in the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, Arkansas students are at an equal or greater risk of lifetime cigarette use, attempted suicide, lifetime alcohol use, and obesity when compared to U.S. students.
Natural Wonders – The State of Children’s Health in Arkansas, a research effort led by Arkansas Children’s Hospital and supported by multiple agencies and healthcare providers in the state, lists obesity, injury prevention, alcohol and tobacco use as current issues facing Arkansas youth.
- An average of 18% of Arkansas youth are overweight
- Only 13% ate the daily recommend amount of fruits and vegetables
- Over 27% have ridden in a vehicle driven by someone drinking alcohol
- Currently, over 25% use cigarettes
- Routine dental care was needed for more than 22% of children
“We are grateful to Arkansas Children’s Hospital for their leadership and support of improving the health literacy of Arkansas’ children,” says Laura McDowell, Director, Coordinated School Health, Arkansas Department of Education. “This coordinated effort to provide our teachers the resources and continued training they need, supports the mission of Coordinated School Health, and will help improve the health habits of our children.”
“By helping children start healthy habits now, Arkansas’ teachers can make a difference that will last a lifetime,” says Scott McQuigg, Chief Executive Officer of HealthTeacher. “This is a progressive partnership and we are honored to be working with Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Arkansas Coordinated School Health to deliver a sustainable, comprehensive approach to improving the health of Arkansas’ children.”
“HealthTeacher reaches children in a way that is effective by providing educators the tools and resources necessary to easily integrate health education into the classroom,” says Gordon. “We believe supporting education professionals in the classroom will make the significant difference in helping every child in Arkansas achieve his or her full potential.”
The HealthTeacher curriculum covers 10 key content areas designed to help students develop a knowledge and skill base that enables them to pursue healthy lifestyles throughout their lives. Teachers whose schools participate in Coordinated School Health will have the opportunity to attend HealthTeacher training events across the state this summer.
To learn more about the partnership, visit www.healthteacher.com/arkansas.
About Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Arkansas Children’s Hospital is the only pediatric medical center in Arkansas and one of the largest in the United States serving children from birth to age 21. The campus spans 29 city blocks and houses 316 beds, a staff of approximately 500 physicians, 80 residents in pediatrics and pediatric specialties and more than 4,200 employees. The private, nonprofit healthcare facility boasts an internationally renowned reputation for medical breakthroughs and intensive treatments, unique surgical procedures and forward-thinking medical research - all dedicated to fulfilling our mission of enhancing, sustaining and restoring children's health and development. ACH, recently named for the third time as one of U.S. News & World Report’s best pediatric hospitals, also has ranked twice on FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For®, most recently at No. 85. For more information, visit www.archildrens.org.
About HealthTeacher
HealthTeacher is a leading provider of online health education resources for kindergarten through 12th grade used by more than 20,000 teachers nationwide. HealthTeacher provides teachers the resources, tools and background material to educate students about making healthy lifestyle choices through over 300 lesson plans that meet or exceed the National Health Education Standards and the Center for Disease Control’s Core Health Topics. HealthTeacher is an operating unit of ConnectivHealth, a leading provider of digital content solutions focused on advancing health and wellness. To learn more, visit www.healthteacher.com.
Coordinated School Health
Coordinated School Health is a collaborative partnership between the Arkansas departments of Education, Health, and Human Services. Our goal is improve the health, education and well being of our children, families, schools, and communities by providing information, resources, and technical assistance. Coordinated School Health is funded at the state level by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Division of Adolescent School. The Coordinated School Health model consists of eight interactive components. Schools by themselves cannot—and should not be expected to—solve the nation’s most serious health and social problems. Families, health care workers, the media, religious organizations, community organizations that serve youth, and young people themselves also must be systematically involved. However, schools could provide a critical facility in which many agencies might work together to maintain the well-being of young people. To learn more visit www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/CSHP or www.arkansascsh.org.
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