Comprehensive School Health Program Model

While schools alone cannot be expected to address the health and related social problems of youth, they can provide, through their climate and curriculum, a focal point for efforts to reduce health risk behaviors and improve the health status of youth. (Kann, Collins, et. al. 1995, CDC)

The Comprehensive School Health Program Model, developed by Allensworth and Kolbe in 1987 and adopted by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH), consists of eight (8) components:

• Health Education - Classroom instruction that addresses the physical, mental, emotional, and social dimensions of health; develops health knowledge, attitudes, and skills; and is tailored to each age level. Designed to motivate and assist students to maintain and improve their health, prevent disease, and reduce health-related risk behaviors.
• School nutrition services - Integration of nutritious, affordable, and appealing meals: nutrition education and an environment that promotes healthy eating behaviors for all children.
• Physical Education- Planned sequential instruction that promotes lifelong physical activity. Designed to develop basic movement skills, sports skills, and physical fitness as well as to enhance mental, social, and emotional abilities.
• Healthy school environment - The physical, emotional, and social climate of the school. Designed to provide a safe physical plant, as well as a healthy and supportive environment that fosters learning.
• Health Services - Preventive services, education, emergency care, referral, and management of acute and chronic health conditions. Designed to promote the health of students, identify and prevent health problems and injuries, and ensure care for students.
• School-site health promotion for staff - Assessment, education, and fitness activities for school faculty and staff. Designed to maintain and improve the health and well-being of school staff, who serve as role models for students.
• Family and community involvement in schools - Partnerships among schools, families, community groups, and individuals. Designed to share and maximize resources and expertise in addressing the healthy development of children, youth, and their families.
• School counseling, psychological, and social services - Activities that focus cognitive, emotional, behavioral and social needs of individuals, groups, and families. Designed to prevent and address problems, facilitate positive learning and healthy behavior, and enhance healthy development.

• All young people have the capacity to develop and transform as they move toward positive adulthood.
• Young people are genetically intended to develop and are actively seeking to meet their own needs.
• All young people need the same types of positive resources: caring, respectful relationships, positive and high expectations, safe places with challenging opportunities to develop and contribute.
• In addition to skills, young people need to develop a sense of identity and self-efficacy.
• All young people need adults in their lives.
• The goal is to help youth develop, fully prepared for adult life.