OHSAI Partnering to Support Head Start Programs in Achieving “Healthy Program” Status

Posted by Julie Stone on August 23, 2010 under News | Be the First to Comment

Childhood obesity has become a state and national concern.  It is important that child care settings advocate healthy lifestyles and positive choices.  Ohio’s Healthy Programs project promotes health and wellness in child care settings through enrollment in this project.  Child care programs which wish to participate will receive training on wellness and obesity prevention, technical assistance on the project if desired, sample policies and menus, nutrition materials, activity cards, a health and wellness toolkit and more!

Child care programs will be able to apply for Ohio’s Healthy Program status by:

• Attending the SUTQ-approved training, Healthy Children, Healthy Weights* now being offered statewide by Healthy Child Care Ohio as well as the child care resource and referral system
• Implementing a policy to ensure healthy practices are maintained in the program
• Demonstrating an improvement in menus for the children
• Including parents in the program such as providing bulletin boards, healthy articles in newsletters, cooking activities, meetings on the topic, etc.

OHSAI will be hosting Healthy Children, Healthy Weights training over the coming program year at the Regular OHSAI meetings as well as June Conference as follows:

Session 1: Healthy Habits

Target Audience: Classroom Teachers.  All four sessions must be completed to receive SUTQ credit.

Part 1: Healthy Activity, October OHSAI Meeting

Part 2: Healthy Eating and Feeding, December OHSAI Meeting

Part 3: Healthy Growing: Body, Mind and in the Classroom, February OHSAI Meeting

Part 4: Health Families: Parent Engagement, April OHSAI Meeting

Session 2: Healthy Menus OHSAI February Meeting

Target Audience: Menu Planners or Administrators

Session 3: Healthy Policies OHSAI June Conference

Target Audience: Program Administrators

Ohio’s Healthy Programs Projects is managed by OCCRRA through funding provided by the Ohio Department of Health.

Click here for more information about Ohio’s Healthy Programs and the steps to participating.