|
|
East Central Mental Health-Mental Retardation, Inc.
| Topics |
Obesity
Schools
|
| States served |
Alabama
|
| Description |
East Central Mental Health-Mental Retardation, Inc., has initiated a partnership of community agencies committed to the development and implementation of a comprehensive, countywide health risk prevention and outreach project. The project will focus on preventing school-age obesity and increasing physical activity using the Coordinated Approach to Child Health Model, a school-based nutrition program. Goals of the project are (1) to form a supporting network to the consortia in Alabama's Bullock and Pike counties that reflects the growing cultural diversity; (2) to advance the scope of the existing rural health promotion program to prevent obesity in school-age children; (3) to implement a health prevention and education project in the public schools that will provide school children with the information and skills they need to avoid health-damaging behaviors and to live healthy lifestyles; and (4) to encourage parents and extended family participation in health risk prevention and education programs to dissolve barriers to healthy lifestyles. |
| Services offered |
The project will target students in grades 3 through 5 in rural Pike and Bullock counties where unmet health needs and at-risk behaviors present serious health risks and contribute to educational and social problems. The target populations will be multicultural, representing all racial, social, and economic backgrounds in the two counties. Contributing to the overall ill health of community youth is the lack of parental awareness concerning health topics and detached parental involvement in child health issues. Implementation of the project will provide students with the skills they need to make healthy choices for life and will strengthen communities by increasing collaboration among parents, teachers, and other school partners.
Access barriers include inadequate or lack of health insurance, lack of Medicaid providers, cultural and spiritual barriers, lack of education and awareness, language barriers, and difficulty getting to a health care facility due to the lack of public transportation. In the past, this project made a significant difference in the lives of youth in Pike County. By expanding this program to Bullock County, more students will be given a head start on a healthier life. Bullock County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area for dental and primary health care professionals.
|
| Replication |
The network partners consist of eight members of the Pike County Consortium, including East Central Mental Health-Mental Retardation; four members of the Bullock County Consortium; and community supporters in both counties. |
| Source |
Rural Health Outreach Grantee Directory, 2006
|
| Contact person |
Terry Watkins
East Central Mental Health-Mental Retardation, Inc.
200 Cherry Street
Troy, Alabama 36081-2044
Phone: (334) 670-5261
Fax: (334) 670-5256
Email: twatkins@knology.net
|
| Date added |
January 11, 2007 |
Summaries of success stories are provided by RAC for your convenience. Please contact the success story contact person directly for the most complete and current information.
|
