G6.01 - Oral: School Health Hub: Increasing Family Engagement & Healthy Behaviors

Brief Abstract Summary: The School Health Hub (SHH) is a collaborative program between the University and Public School District that aims to provide accessible school-based behavioral health, family engagement, health promotion, and educational supportive services. The primary aim of the School Health Hub is to improve social-emotional outcomes, attendance, healthy behaviors, and family-school connectedness. SHH strategies foster connections between staff, students, and families, while providing resources for student success and promoting healthy behaviors across the school-family community. The SHH delivered culturally responsive and evidence-based outreach services to reduce disparities in academic achievement, and mental and physical health. The SHH operates in three elementary schools (n=3 schools; n=856 students; n=61.1% free-reduced lunch; 40.5% White). The SHH was successful at implementing quality elements and is a practical approach to improve health in students, staff and families.

Detailed abstract description: Schools are critical settings to promote physical, emotional, and social health and well-being in youth. Significant disparities exist in mental and physical health, such as accessing mental health services, as well as in educational achievement disproportionately affecting economically disadvantaged students. Additionally, the high prevalence of childhood obesity is a critical public health issue. The School Health Hub (SHH) is an interdisciplinary and collaborative program between the University of North Dakota and a North Dakota public school district that aims to provide accessible school-based behavioral health, family engagement, health promotion, and educational supportive services. The primary aim of the School Health Hub is to improve social-emotional outcomes, attendance, healthy behaviors, and family-school connectedness. SHH strategies foster connections between staff, students, and families, while providing resources for student success and promoting healthy behaviors across the school-family community. The SHH delivers culturally responsive and evidence-based outreach services to reduce disparities in academic achievement, and mental and physical health. The SHH operates in three elementary schools selected due to their higher needs that have diverse student bodies (n=3 schools; n=856 students; n=61.1% free-reduced lunch status; 40.5% White). So far, the SHH has hosted six family engagement events, served 1,071 healthy meals, and implemented four health challenges (increased sleep; reduced screen time; increased water consumption; and increased attendance). The SHH is a five-year program, currently in its second year. Schools are ideal settings, as they form long term behaviors and have a potential opportunity to positively impact mental, physical and behavioral health in children and their families. The SHH Is a holistic program to benefit students, teachers, staff and families.