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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.

What We Do

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 from CDC. As part of this work, NACDD is partnering with Child Trends, Mental Health America, SEA, and LEA to advance health 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.

Two kids sitting at a table, writing in notebooks with pencils.

How We Do It

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.

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Learning Collaborative Roadmap

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.

Download the roadmap
A visual representation of the "Learning Collaborative Roadmap" to support emotional well-being in schools. The image contains a circular diagram with segmented areas labeled "Aligning Frameworks," "Teaming for Success," "Data-Driven Decision-Making," and "Effective Implementation." It emphasizes a two-phase approach: Phase 1 - Establishing an Infrastructure and Phase 2 - Implementation & Continuous Quality Improvement. The diagram connects staff and student emotional well-being as outcomes of effective implementation. The top-left corner features the logos of the Center for Advancing Healthy Communities and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors.
An infographic focusing on "Phase 1: Establishing an Infrastructure" within the Learning Collaborative Roadmap. It describes the importance of creating a cohesive system for school-based mental health programs through cross-sector collaboration and data-driven decision-making. The circular diagram highlights three key elements: "Aligning Frameworks," "Teaming for Success," and "Data-Driven Decision-Making." An arrow at the bottom indicates progression to the next phase.
An infographic detailing "Phase 2: Implementation & Continuous Quality Improvement" of the Learning Collaborative Roadmap. It highlights how a well-established infrastructure leads to effective interventions for student and staff emotional well-being. The circular diagram emphasizes "Effective Implementation" as a core component, linking to staff and student emotional well-being. The description emphasizes adaptability, sustainability, and the refinement of strategies based on feedback. An arrow at the bottom-left suggests navigation back to Phase 1.
A structured breakdown of the "Learning Collaborative Roadmap," listing key components of each phase. Phase 1 includes "Aligning Frameworks," "Teaming for Success," and "Data-Driven Decision-Making," with bullet points explaining each aspect. Phase 2 includes "Effective Implementation," "Staff Emotional Well-Being," and "Student Emotional Well-Being," each with detailed descriptions of systems-level approaches. The image uses color-coded sections to distinguish different focus areas, and the WSCC (Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child) model is referenced as a core thread.
Discover school health resources

Contact Us

For questions or more information, connect with us. 

Heidi Milby, MPH
Associate Director, Center for Advancing Healthy Communities
hmilby@chronicdisease.org

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