Joint Consortium for School Health (JCSH)

Joint Consortium for School Health (JCSH)

• JCSH establishment is endorsed by the FPT Deputy Ministers of Health and the PT Deputy Ministers and Ministers of Education.

Purpose:

To provide leadership and facilitate a comprehensive and coordinated approach to school health by building the capacity of the school and health systems to work together.

An effective, comprehensive approach• integrates various aspects of health

within a holistic view of the child, school and community

• coordinates multiple interventions delivered by many professionals, agencies and systems as well as by youth, parents and communities.

Sustainability

To be sustainable, we need to constantly build organizational capacities of systems: - coordinated policy development/leadership, - dedicated staffing infrastructure, - formal and informal mechanisms for cooperation, - knowledge exchange and transfer, - pre-service and inservice work force development, - system to anticipate emerging issues - regular, reliable data on the health of students and - periodic surveys of local programs and policies.

JCSH Mandate

• Build capacity of health, education and other systems to work together

• A catalyst in strengthening cooperation and capacities among ministries, departments, agencies and others

• To provide leadership and facilitate a comprehensive and coordinated approach to school health

JCSH to develop tools to assist members and others in the development of programs, policies and practices that improve the overall health of young people and address specific issues and risk factors.

Knowledge Summaries: • summarize the available evidence about

various issues in school health promotion to inform governments, local agencies and others as well as encourage further inquiry and research

• Based on this knowledge, provinces/territories, local agencies and professions can develop guidelines or recommendations for their respective constituencies

Environmental scan on school nutrition policies to provide initial guidance to policy-makers and program developers responsible for school health.

JCSH Working Groups: Various work groups focused on generating suggestions for practical activities that can be taken up by a variety of organizations at the Pan-Canadian level.

Working Groups: Nutrition in Schools; Physical Activity; Social Behaviours of Youth; Aboriginal students; Immunization, Emergency Response & Public Health Role in schools; Injury Prevention; Sexual Health

Structure: • Board of Directors – comprised of

Deputy Ministers in Education and/or Health from each participating P/T and PHAC

• Management committee comprised of ADMs or designates from several member jurisdiction

• P/T/PHAC School Health Coordinators• Secretariat Office

Nutrition and Schools: The Pan-Canadian Level

Vision:

School-based and school-linked policies, programs, services, practices and activities to promote healthy eating and address/prevent issues such as obesity/overweight, eating disorders, food security/poverty, food allergies, food safety, food production and food/nutrition careers.

No one strategy, such as nutrition policies or child nutrition programs will be sufficient.

Nutrition WG combined with the corresponding F/P/T WG have identified many ongoing and/or required activities that are required to further all of our respective efforts.

Glance at a CSH approach to Nutrition and Schools & some Pan-Canadian Realities and Possibilities

Healthy Students, Healthy Schools Newfoundland and Labrador

• Healthy Students, Healthy Schools Newfoundland and Labrador

A Plan For the Future

• Department of Education and Department of Health and Community Services

• Regional Health Authority – School District

• Public Health Nursing Office – School

• School Health Resources

• Priority Area for Provincial Wellness Advisory Council

• Currently 8 recommendations for action around Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

• Develop and implement provincial guidelines for food served in schools

• Enhance and expand healthy eating opportunities & ensure funding for school food programs

• Provide training on healthy eating & the preparation of nutritious foods for school

caterers.

• Enhance opportunities for children and youth to participate in healthy living activities in both the school and community setting

• Engage and support youth to take action on healthy living issues

• Develop, revise and implement curricula that support and enhance healthy living in K to Level III

• NEXT STEPS– Healthy Students, Healthy Schools Committee ☺

– Healthy Student Summit ☺

– K-6 Living Healthy Day!

– School Food Guidelines ☺

– School Health Promotion Liaison consultant ☺

– Regional School Health Coordinator

– Physical Activity & Schools Guidelines ☺

– Healthy Students, Healthy Schools Strategy Paper ☺