Indiana Department of Health, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity
CDC-RFA-DP-23-0002
Project Abstract Summary
With an estimated 95% of school-aged children in the U.S. spending about 6 hours per day in school, the school environment is an optimal space to target obesity interventions. Indiana’s proposal for School-Based Interventions to Promote Equity and Improve Health, Academic Achievement, and Well-Being of Students will expand upon current and previous efforts to improve the health and well-being of school-age children and adolescents in underserved and disproportionately affected communities. Indiana is not immune to the health disparities that exist across the country. The Indiana Department of Health Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity (IDOH DNPA) proposes to target PD, TA, and other interventions to LEAs who have greater than 60% students receiving free/reduced lunch, racially diverse LEAs, and LEAs in counties with a high county health ranking, SVI, chronic disease, food insecurity, percentage of children living in poverty, and/or percentage of uninsured children.
The DNPA has chosen to partner with Vigo County School Corporation (VCSC), located on the Western border of Indiana, as the priority LEA, if awarded. Vigo County has a 0.71 SVI, health ranking of 69 out of 92, and an estimated 28% of children living in poverty. VCSC also has a strong commitment from the interim superintendent and other school administrators to utilize the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model for the district, in addition to partnership from the local hospital, public university, and other community partners. The DNPA plans to utilize an equity-based framework and focus on social determinants of health for VCSC, as well as statewide, throughout the entirely of the grant cycle, knowing that these factors have profound effects on children’s health.
The DNPA will provide PD and TA related to the topic areas that come out of SHI results and other school health assessments and community listening sessions, ensuring the voices of disproportionately affected populations are at the forefront. The community listening sessions will be offered to a variety of individuals and schools, and out-of-school time professionals from local YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs, and community centers. The DNPA will also partner internally to provide oral health curriculum and education, work with partners to update trainings to school nurses related to student chronic disease management and provide food insecurity screenings, continue to review, and provide feedback on school wellness policies and provide TA to school wellness committees. Lastly, the DNPA plans to establish and continuously add resources to an online Healthy Schools Resource Hub, a comprehensive website with school health resources aligned with the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model. Example resources could relate to topics from school wellness policies and committees, oral health, chronic disease prevention and management, staff wellness, nutrition, and physical activity.
By utilizing key partnerships and providing professional development and technical assistance to school professionals across the state, Indiana will increase the number of schools with school health action plans based on the School Health Index (SHI), increase the number of schools with Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) plans, improve school nutrition and food security, increase services for students with chronic conditions and increase physical activity and nutrition outcomes among Hoosier students. During the grant, DNPA will also measure the increase of physical activity and healthy dietary behaviors in the priority LEA.
