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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed guidelines for the implementation of school-based tobacco prevention and education programs. These guidelines urge schools to offer tobacco prevention and education within the context of a comprehensive school health curriculum that addresses multiple health risks among children and youth.
CDC has identified 6 areas of risky behaviors among adolescents that results in premature and excessive morbidity and mortality:
- Tobacco use
- Use of alcohol and other drugs
- Physical inactivity
- Unhealthy dietary patterns
- Behaviors that result in unintentional and intentional injuries
- Behaviors that result in unintended pregnancy, STD and HIV/AIDS
CDC and the U.S. Department of education are urging schools to implement evidence-based health education programs and programs that incorporate the principals of effective health education.
HealthSmart
HealthSmart, produced by ETR Associates, a not-for-profit organization, is a K-12 comprehensive health education program designed to address the 6 risky behaviors identified by CDC and lay the foundation for the practice of healthy behaviors in children and youth. The program incorporates the principles of effective health education programs and prepares students to meet the National Health Education Standards. HealthSmart also meets or exceeds the New York State Standards for Health Education.
The HealthSmart program:
- Targets clearly defined health behavior outcomes.
- Supports development of protective factors and reduction of risk factors.
- Builds on the cultural strengths of students and their families to support development of health behaviors.
- Establishes healthy social norms and expectations.
- Builds on a foundation of theory-based interventions shown to be effective in shaping healthy behaviors.
- Supports students' acquisition of critical health, social and personal skills.
- Features interactive and cooperative learning approaches.
- Accommodates a range of learning styles.
- Reinforces and strengthens previously learned skills and behaviors.
- Involves families in supporting their children's efforts to establish healthy behaviors.
- Provides training and support for teachers.
HealthSmart is the result of more than 6 years of research, development, field-testing and revision by a team of nationally recognized prevention experts in school health education. ETR, widely recognized for its development of evidenced-based programs, is currently seeking funding for a longitudinal evaluation of HealthSmart.
The HealthSmart K-6 program includes more than 150 hours of classroom learning activities, 32 hours of which focus on helping children remain tobacco free. The Middle School and High School program includes more than 100 hours of classroom instruction, of which more than 20 hours focus on tobacco education.
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