Many studies have demonstrated that school children who are in need of essential health care and lack access to adequate health education are destined to poor academic performance and achievement. In the 1990s, the US Department of Health and Human Services through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its Division of Adolescent and School Health coordinated an effort to buld an effective and efficient model for Cmprehensive School Health Education programs. Since that time National, Regional, State, and local Education and Health Agencies have manipulated this model to address and meet the pressing health care, health education, and community health needs for children and adolescents under their charge. Each educational or health agency has defined the key terms, presented comprehensive models of coordinated school health (CSH), determined the processes and examined the assessment and evaluation techniques need to effectively support programs and services for CSH programs aimed at reducing the health-risk behaviors that pose threats to children and youth. There is a wealth or research and professional expertise available to school districts and community services agencies through the CDC and other national and state health agencies. The strength of the TMG - CSHP will be to use the research and programmatic framework esatablished by these agencies to build out the capacity of our training and course offerings to respond to the needs of our schools and communities. We will support high quality teaching and leadership through technical conferences, support programs, presentations, and leadership development efforts aimed at addressing the needs of teachers of health, physical education, health & wellness promotion, and other health related topics. These learning activities will be the vehicles TMG uses to develop partnerships with Learning Communities, National, Regional, State, and local health agencies and associated professionals. Each partnership and linkage will be aimed at determining and maximizing the human and material resources available to reduce the threat of health and health-related concerns for our students and communities. The key components of the TMG - CSHP as outlined by the CDC and other health agencies 1. Health Education 2. Physical Education 3. Health Services 4. Nutrition Services 5. Counseling, Psychological, Mental Health, and Social Services 6. Safe and Healthful School Environment 7. Parents/Caregivers/Community Partnership, and, 8. Health Promotion for School Staff The primary goal of the TMG - CSHP is to assist school district personnel in the provision of programs that address the most basic health care, health promotion, and disease prevention education, and psychological services for children in one feeder pattern - from elementary to middle to high school - in our public school system. This will include consulting with school district leaders in the creation of pilot programs, training the staff, volunteers, faculty, and other community stakeholders to ensure that skilled and dedicated health care professionals are administering the programs and services for our children and adolescents.
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