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Texas School Health Program

The Texas School Health Program envisions a Texas where all children are healthy, ready to learn and prepared to make healthy lifelong choices

Our Mission

The Texas School Health Program envisions a Texas where all children are healthy, ready to learn, and prepared to make healthy lifelong choices. 

Our mission is to support education and public health partners with impacting school health issues using the "Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child" approach. Evidence shows that when schools address students' health needs, they can improve student performance and ease financial constraints.   

While the Texas School Health Program does not regulate schools, we do provide school health leadership, support, and guidance to Texas school districts. This includes comprehensive school health and safety issues regarding the Whole Child, Whole School, and Whole Community by: 

  • Maintaining the linkage between the Texas Department of State Health Services and school districts as it relates to health promotion and chronic disease; 
  • Engaging in collaborative efforts with internal and external partners and stakeholders; 
  • Ensuring infrastructure to provide support to schools; 
  • Serving as the central source for resources and tools in support of school health evidence-based programs, practices, and policies; and  
  • Disseminating timely school health-related information and data. 

Announcements

Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model focuses its attention on youth by providing a framework to address health in schools. The goal of the WSCC model is to integrate education and health. By highlighting a wide approach, the WSCC model encompasses connections between health and academic achievement while incorporating evidence-based school policies and practices. These policies and practices emphasize the role of local community support to connect health and academic achievement. The WSCC model has 10 components:

  1.  Physical education and physical activity
  2. Nutrition environment and services
  3. Health education
  4. Social and emotional climate
  5. Physical environment
  6. Health services
  7. Counseling, psychological, and social services                                                                                
  8. Employee wellness
  9. Community involvement
  10. Family engagement

By utilizing the WSCC model, the Texas School Health Program serves to support educational entities and public health partners impacting Texas school health issues. Evidence shows that when schools address students’ health needs, they can improve student performance and ease financial constraints.

Resources:

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