The Challenge of Coordinated School Health Programs

The concept of comprehensive school health was introduced in the late 1980s by Diane D. Allensworth and Lloyd J. Kolbe. As defined by the CDC, a coordinated school health program is “A systematic approach to improving the health and well-being of all students so they can fully participate and be successful in school.” A modern coordinated school health program is composed of eight components, including health education, physical education, health services, nutrition services, counseling, psychological and social services, staff health promotion, family and community involvement and healthy environments (CDC, n.d.).

Implementing a coordinated school health program in every school district is a challenging task, specifically because of the additional staff and funding that need to be procured in order to create a successful program. This can be attributed to the localized funding structure undertaken by many school districts across the country, as many school districts do not reside in high enough tax areas for the necessary budget increase, impeding their ability to cover the expenses of a coordinated school health program. However, schools can have more effective health programs with limited funding by appointing health educators. Though the school and/or school district may not be able to provide the full services of a coordinated health program, simply exposing students to education regarding their own health is a cheap and effective measure that can be taken. The role of the public health educator in school health education is to change policies and environments, as well as attitudes and behavior that affect health. Helping students learn more about diet, exercise, tobacco use, alcohol use, and sexually transmitted diseases can help to prevent, control and treat these diseases and reduce the risk of complications.

Reference

CDC  (n.d.). “Coordinated School Health - FAQs and Resources - Adolescent and School Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved  October 17, 2013, from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/cshp/faq.htm#22