The Eaton Regional Education Service Agency's School Wellness and Prevention Department is introducing a comprehensive initiative to support local consortium districts in Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties, Michigan through the CDC-RFA-DP-24-0139 funding opportunity. This project leverages partnerships and collaboration through a cross-district School Health Advisory Council and community of practice models. Local, state, and national partners will participate in school-based surveillance activities utilizing the Youth Risk Behavior Screener and Profiles to gain insights into youth risk behaviors.
The core focus lies in implementing the What Works in Schools (WWIS) program with fidelity. This will ensure high-quality comprehensive health education, establish effective systems linking students to health services within schools and communities, and create safe and supportive school environments.
The Eaton RESA project will establish a consortium model, bringing together local school districts across their service area. This collaborative effort will leverage a systems-based approach to implement the WWIS program. By working together, districts can maximize the program's impact by utilizing existing policies across the consortium and sharing resources efficiently. This unified approach will ensure a more streamlined and effective implementation of WWIS.
The project anticipates achieving several key outcomes. These include formalized partnerships to support WWIS implementation, increased awareness and support among key decision makers, improved student access to health education and services, heightened staff capacity for creating safe environments, and a deeper consortium understanding of youth health trends and school health practices. By utilizing the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the project will enhance consortium understanding of short-term trends in youth behavior, experiences, and school health practices.
Ultimately, this initiative seeks to combat the rise in depression, suicidal thoughts, and substance use among youth. It aims to create a school environment where violence is reduced, protective behaviors are encouraged, and health disparities are minimized, especially those from marginalized groups like females, students with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ youth, and students of color.
