Via the Creating Healthy Schools Through State Policy initiative, Child Trends and its partners support state officials and policymakers who work at the intersection of education and health by providing them with a curated source of data, research, technical assistance, and policy news. This initiative aims to support state policy making that integrates the elements of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model and that, in doing so, advances both education and health equity. The initiative helps states improve student outcomes, such as chronic absenteeism, by strengthening health and mental health services in schools; improving physical activity and nutrition supports; improving connections between schools, communities, and families; and creating supportive climates for learning.

Creating Healthy Schools Through State Policy is a six-month pilot initiative, running from January to June 2020, that includes a weekly e-newsletter and helpdesk available to select states.

E-newsletter

The Creating Healthy Schools Through State Policy weekly e-newsletter shares research and policy updates and is available to all interested state-level officials. The e-newsletter is tailored for state education and health agencies, state boards of education, state legislators, children’s cabinets, and governors’ offices. State officials can subscribe to the e-newsletter here.

March 25, 2020
March 18, 2020
March 11, 2020
March 6, 2020
March 4, 2020
February 26, 2020
February 19, 2020
February 12, 2020
February 5, 2020
January 29, 2020

Helpdesk (now open!)

We are currently piloting a helpdesk through which state officials can submit quick turnaround requests for research, data, and current policy and practice related to health education, physical education, school-based nutrition, health and counseling services, social and emotional climate, a school’s physical environment, employee wellness, family engagement, and community involvement. Although we are only supporting seven states due to resource limitations, please let us know if your state would be interested in the future.

State officials from California, New York, Kentucky, Washington, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Tennessee are invited to use the initiative’s helpdesk.  States seeking assistance from the helpdesk can submit their questions and requests to schoolhealthpolicy@childtrends.org.

Our partners

Child Trends is excited to work with the following partners on this initiative: