Vol, 7, No. 14: April 14, 2008		Get SEAchange by email

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2. Wisconsin gets $3.5 million for school health

State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster announced that the Department of Public Instruction, in partnership with the Department of Health and Family Services, successfully competed for a five year, $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The grant will support Wisconsin efforts to promote physical activity, nutrition, and coordinated school health programs, to prevent tobacco use, to stop the spread of HIV, and to conduct the Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

"Success in school is intertwined with health. Schools cannot achieve their educational mission if a student is not healthy and ready to learn," said Burmaster. "Unfortunately, many students today are dealing with health issues that interfere with their ability to succeed academically. This grant will support programs to help our students make healthy choices."

In recent studies, 20 percent of Wisconsin high school students reported smoking a cigarette in the past month. Poor diets and physical inactivity are pushing rates of overweight and obesity among the nation's children to record levels. Among Wisconsin high school students, 24 percent are either overweight or obese.

"Schools play a vital role in addressing the obesity epidemic and improving health by promoting and supporting good nutrition, physical activity, and avoidance of tobacco use among children," said Wisconsin State Health Officer Dr. Sheri Johnson. "This grant will help us continue the good work of many established partnerships striving to improve the health of everyone in Wisconsin."

In addition to the $2,124,615 for the coordinated school health programs, another major component of the grant includes $1,250,000 for HIV prevention efforts. The grant also includes $249,710 to conduct the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) in the state. The YRBS assesses the health and well-being of high school students to inform the development of programs and intervention strategies that can help future students achieve greater success.

The Wisconsin grant application was one of 23 funded by the CDC.

Other partners involved in the coordinated school health programs include the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, the Wisconsin Partnership for Activity and Nutrition, the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Health, The Counseling Center of Milwaukee, Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, and the state's cooperative educational service agencies (CESAs).

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Last updated on 4/14/2008