About HCPHES School Health Program

The mission of the HCPHES School Health Program is to promote the health of children and youth in Harris County ISDS through collaboration and partnerships with school districts by increasing their knowledge of and capacity to implement coordinated school health best practices as a foundation for improved health outcomes and academic success in students. 

To provide leadership and achieve its mission, the HCPHES School Health Program has adopted 6 goals:

1. School Health Advisory Councils (SHAC). Provide technical assistance necessary for the development of effective, SHACs in each Harris County school district as per Texas legislative requirements.

• Engage district-level decision makers about necessity of SHACs.

• Provide trainings for SHAC coordinators and members to increase their capacity to effectively address school health issues in their districts.

• Attend SHAC meetings (when invited) and provide public health perspective and guidance.

• Facilitate development of SHACs from the ground up. 

• Advise SHAC evaluation/ measurement efforts.

2. Coordinated School Health (CSH). Provide (or partner with others to provide) training, and technical assistance to school district personnel necessary for the development, implementation, and evaluation of CSH efforts.

• Engage district-level decision makers about necessity of CSH.

• Assist stakeholders with CSH implementation process.

• Provide information and/or trainings to district and school-level staff to increase their capacity to effectively address school health issues through coordinated efforts.

• Advise CSH evaluation/ measurement efforts.

3. Interdisciplinary/ Interagency Collaboration. Promote interdisciplinary/ interagency collaboration among all who work to protect and improve the health, safety, and well-being of children, youth, their families and communities.

• Participate as an active member on inter/interagency committees.

• Develop collaborative efforts as needed.

4. Advocacy. Provide advocacy and support for building and strengthening effective school health programs to target key risk factors to health and learning.

• Keep abreast of legislative issues and changes.

• Provide updates and trainings related to legislative issues.

• Engage stakeholders to support public health’s stance on issues.

5. Surveillance and Data Collection. Provide or collaborate with other agencies to assess indicators related to school health programs and policies, CSHP outcomes, SHAC effectiveness, and youth risk behaviors for the purposes of assessments, surveillance and outcomes monitoring. Assessments that have been conducted by HCPHES in recent years:

• 2004 - 2005 School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN)

• 2006 - 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)

6. Resources. Promote effective, evidence-based programs and initiatives designed to improve coordinated school health, collaboration among agencies, or health outcomes of children, youth, their families, and communities.

The following school districts are in the jurisdiction of the School Health Program:

Aldine	Humble
Channelview	Katy
Clear Creek	Klein
Crosby	La Porte
Cypress-Fairbanks	Pasadena
Deer Park	Sheldon
Galena Park	Spring
Goose Creek	Tomball
Huffman	Waller

Districts which are not in the Harris County jurisdiction are able to receive some technical assistance and will be invited to participate in most trainings, meetings, etc.