Creating Healthy Schools & Communities
John H. Mulroy Civic Center, 9th Floor
421 Montgomery Street, Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone 315.435.3280
Program Overview
Creating Healthy Schools and Communities is a New York State Department of Health funded program that works cooperatively with local schools and surrounding communities to establish and support sustainable healthy communities as places where it is easier to practice healthy behaviors. Communities of focus include the City of Syracuse, Town of Van Buren, Village of Solvay, and Onondaga Nation.
Program Goals
Implementing food service guidelines with worksites (hospitals, universities/colleges, private workplaces, state, local and tribal government facilities), and community settings (parks, food pantries, stadiums, buildings/areas where community organizations meet), in multiple venues (cafeterias, cafés, grills, snack bars, concession stands, vending machines) to increase the availability of healthy foods. These efforts create a food environment that makes healthier choices easier for consumers.
Improving policies, practices, and environments for physical activity and nutrition in early care and education settings.
Implementing Activity-Friendly Routes to Everyday Destinations interventions in municipalities to increase safe and accessible physical activity. This may include improving sidewalks, paths, bicycle routes, and public transit to homes, early care and education sites, schools, worksites, parks, or recreation centers by implementing master plans and land use interventions or Complete Streets policies or plans.
Improving policies, practices, and environments for physical activity in schools. Implementing components of Local School Wellness Policies for Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs and a Healthy Nutrition Environment as found in the CDC Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model.
Communities of Focus
• City of Syracuse
• Town of Van Buren
• Village of Solvay
• Onondaga Nation
Healthy Worksites
With many adults spending a great deal of their waking hours at work, worksites and employers have a unique opportunity to foster environments that encourage, support, and promote wellness.
While we make our own choices about what we eat, our decisions and eating habits are influenced by what food is available, including at the worksite. Onondaga County Health Department’s Creating Healthy Schools and Communities is working with businesses, hospitals, municipalities, and community organizations to find innovative ways to provide healthier food options for their employees through their cafeterias, vending machines, meetings, conferences, events, and programs.
A culture of wellness at the workplace can benefit both employees and employers by lowering health care and worker compensation costs, increasing productivity and reduced absenteeism, enhancing recruitment and retention, developing happier and more productive employees, and improving organizational image.
Healthy Schools
Students spend a significant part of their day in school – on average over six hours. They may eat as many as two meals a day at school as well as get much of their daily physical activity at school. Therefore, schools provide a fundamental setting for educating children on the importance of lifelong healthy behaviors, along with opportunities to consume nutritious meals, snacks, and beverages, and get regular physical activity.
Studies show that healthy students perform better in school. Good nutrition and physical activity are linked to improved academic, behavioral, cognitive and emotional functioning, along with reduced absenteeism.
Resources
NYS Success Stories
• Program success stories across New York State
Community
• Food Service Guidelines Overview
• Supporting Healthy Worksites
• Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• Guidelines for Federal Concessions and Vending Operations
• CDC Dietary Guidelines
Early Childhood Education
Nutrition
• Course Offering: Nourishing Healthy Eaters
• Healthy Eating Guide
Physical Activity
• Course Offered: Physical Activity Learning Sessions (PALS)
• Healthy Kids, Healthy Future
• Take a Virtual Field Trip!
Schools
• Smart Snack Guidelines
• Local School Wellness Policy
• Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model
• School Nutrition (CDC)
• Physical Education/Physical Activity Guidance
Connecting Activity-Friendly Routes to Everyday Destinations
• Physical Activity Community Strategies (CDC)
• Physical Activity Guidelines (CDC)
• Activity Friendly Routes through Community Design
• Active Communities Tool
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