Sunday, December 8, 2024
12/8/2024
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, West Virginia ranked highest in the nation in the prevalence of poor physical health, mental health, and related activity limitations; these trends have only exacerbated in the years since. Progress in addressing chronic disease prevention requires significant coordinated effort across stakeholders. Schools and school systems are ideal settings for developing the strategic partnerships necessary for establishing health promotion policies, practices, and programs that support the adoption of improved health behaviors among youth. This proposal leverages a partnership between West Virginia University (the state’s flagship, land grant institution), the West Virginia Department of Education, and the Mercer County public school system. Through this partnership, the project team aims to develop targeted approaches that improve physical activity, healthy dietary behaviors, and self-management of chronic health conditions among underserved students statewide and within the priority local education agency selected for this project - Mercer County. Short-term, intermediate, and long-term outcomes, related to improving school health policies, practices, programs and services that promote healthy student and staff behaviors and health equity practices, will be met through comprehensive knowledge and capacity-building strategies and activities that maximize CDC resources and tools and align with the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child framework. A robust evaluation system will be used to assess the adoption, implementation, and impact of these target strategies and activities over the five-year funding period. The College of Applied Human Sciences at West Virginia University is the lead organization for this project, with the commitment of other state and national partners. The project team’s strong working relationship with West Virginia school administrators and teachers, state and local government, community organiza tions, and national organizations evidences capacity to execute all planned initiatives and disseminate success strategies toward improved public health.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
