NACDD School Health is committed to building the capacity of State Education Agencies (SEA), State Health Department (SHDs), and Local Education Agencies (LEA) to support the health and well-being of youth and school staff.
We assist SEA, SHD, and LEA in making informed decisions about various school health issues by providing professional development, up-to-date information and resources, and technical assistance. Historically, our work has focused on school health issues most directly related to preventing chronic disease – nutrition, physical education, and physical activity, and managing and caring for chronic conditions in schools.
In 2022, NACDD was awarded a five-year cooperative agreement through the CDC’s National Initiative to Advance Health Equity in K-12 Education by Preventing Chronic Disease and Promoting Healthy Behaviors. As part of this work, NACDD is partnering with Child Trends, Mental Health America, SEA, and LEA to advance health equity in schools through support for developing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based policies, practices, and programs focused on the emotional well-being of students and staff.
Each year, NACDD engages a cohort of two to four SEA, their respective State Health Department (SHD) partners, and a minimum of five LEA collectively across all SEA states. Participating LEA receive mini-grants and join in a five-step, two-phased process over two school years.
Additionally, NACDD supports state leaders and local education agencies (LEA’s) in building their capacity through professional development and technical assistance. The Learning Collaborative Roadmap illustrates a continuous development process to support and advance emotional well-being in schools. NACDD curates and provides a collection of resources aligned with each phase of the process.
For questions or more information, connect with us.
Heidi Milby, MPH
Associate Director, Center for Advancing Healthy Communities
hmilby@chronicdisease.org