The Coordinating School Health Programs initiative is a joint collaboration between the Maine Department of Education and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
What is a Coordinated School Health Program?
A Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP) is an effective system designed to connect health with education. This coordinated approach to school health improves students' health and their capacity to learn through the support of families, communities and schools working together through prevention and intervention.
CSHP Definitions:
Prevention is the active, assertive process of creating conditions that promote well being.
Health is the physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual well being of an individual and not just the absence of disease.
CSHP Infrastructure is the basic system upon which a coordinated school health program depends to continue and grow.
How does a Coordinated School Health Program Help?
A Coordinated School Health Program can . . .
- reduce absenteeism and classroom behavior problems
- improve classroom performance
- better prepare students to be productive members of their communities
When policy makers use a Coordinated School Health approach in decision-making, and place prevention and early intervention as primary strategies to improve health and education of Maine children and youth. . .
THEN
the local school community can more effectively address the physical, social and emotional developmental needs of their children as learners, increase assets in the lives of children and address the health and education gap created by poverty. . .
SO THAT
all children and youth have equal access to a quality school program, succeed in school and improve academic performance, reduce common threats to their health and increase aspirations.
