Background: A systematic adaptation of an evidence-based state health curriculum (Michigan Model for Health™, MMH) was created to enhance physical activity and family engagement materials but retain the core functional elements of the curriculum. Methods: The Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications-Enhanced (FRAME) was used to…

Background: The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model offers a comprehensive framework for creating safe, healthy, and supportive school environments. However, few studies to date have examined the degree to which school policies represent a comprehensive and integrated approach to this goal beyond nutrition and physical…

Background: School efforts to promote health among students are more successful when families and community members are involved. Methods: We conducted a scoping review to summarize and categorize family and community engagement strategies used in US school and out-of-school time (OST) interventions to address physical activity (PA) and nutrition…

Background: The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) framework supports the "whole child" across 10 domains. This study assessed state law and district policy WSCC coverage. Methods: Primary legal research was used to compile relevant district policies and state laws for a stratified random sample of 368 public school…

Background: Foreign-born children rarely use traditional school mental health services. Comprehensive programs that combine mental health services with academic, economic, and socioemotional supports reach more foreign-born children and improve well-being. However, little practical guidance exists regarding how to best combine these diverse…

Background: Early sexual activity can undermine adolescents' future school success and health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of a family homework component of a comprehensive sex education intervention in delaying sexual initiation for early adolescents and to explore what social and contextual factors prevent…

Background: Obesity is a major concern among American Indians and Hispanics. The Child Health Initiative for Lifelong Eating and Exercise (CHILE) is an evidence-based intervention to prevent obesity in children enrolled in 16 Head Start (HS) Centers in rural communities. The design and implementation of CHILE are described. Methods: CHILE uses a…

Background: Despite the growing number of school-based interventions designed to reduce childhood obesity or otherwise promote health, no models or materials were found for Jewish schools. The current study describes an effort within a Jewish school system in Chicago to create, implement, and evaluate a school-based intervention tailored to the…

Well-designed and effectively implemented school health policies and programs can improve students' health-related behaviors and outcomes, as well as their educational outcomes. Health promotion programs in the school setting are guided and constrained by myriad federal, state, and local laws and policies. Knowledge and understanding of the legal…

Background: Family and community involvement in schools is linked strongly to improvements in the academic achievement of students, better school attendance, and improved school programs and quality. Method: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts the School Health Policies and Programs Study every 6 years. In 2006,…

Expanded school mental-health (ESMH) programs address the limitations of traditional mental-health agencies in meeting childrens' needs by offering a full range of services in school. Family involvement in ESMHs can enhance their effectiveness. This paper describes challenges of involving families, guidelines for determining program goals for…

This study provides information about prevention and control practices in intervention and comparison secondary schools 2 years after the start-up of the Texas Tobacco Prevention Initiative. The intervention, which was funded through the Texas Department of State Health Services, consisted of guidance, training, technical assistance, and…

The family of a child with cancer is faced with special adjustment problems that must be confronted, including guilt, anger, and a desire to retain a sense of normalcy. (MB)

A study examined reading, demographic, social, and psychological factors related to preadolescent smoking and nonsmoking behaviors and attitudes. Variables studied included reading achievement, family involvement, and racial and sex differences. (Authors/CJ)

A mental health program in the schools is described which uses a nurse trained in mental health, with the support of a psychiatrist, to coordinate a mental health team and act as a liaison between the school and the health professionals, to assess referrals and arrange team meetings to plan interventions. (JMF)