Health and WellnessPlan of Work

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Mason County CES

Title:
Health and Wellness
MAP:
Health and Wellness
Agents Involved:
Heather Cheek, Mary Jane Little
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Active Living and Health Promotions General
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Nutrition and Food Systems General
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Health
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Family and Consumer Science
Situation:

The community needs assessment from both Mason County and Kentucky as well as the Mason CEC recognized health and wellness as a top priority. They have asked for focus or improvement on better skills for selecting and preparing healthier food, availability of substance use prevention programs, mental health programs, and fewer chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc.

Healthy living is one of three 4-H mission mandates and encompasses: physical activity, personal safety, mental health, addiction prevention, and diversity and inclusion. In Kentucky 37% of youth 10-17 are overweight or obese, and 51% report not exercising regularly. 25% of youth report some form of emotional or behavioral condition and suicide rates are at record high (KY suicides per 100,000 people: 15.3, 10th highest in nation). Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health disease can affect anyone, with 1,160 reported opioid-involved deaths (a rate of 27.9 deaths per 100,000 persons) in Kentucky and Vaping nearly doubled among middle and high school students — with 27% of high school seniors reporting they had tried the product in 2018.

Long-Term Outcomes:
Intermediate Outcomes:
Initial Outcomes:
Evaluation:

Outcome:  Increased knowledge of substance use

Indicator(s):  Number of individuals attending programs

Method:  Retroactive pre-post

Timeline:  Following every addiction 101 training


Outcome: Preparing and preserving food

Indicator(s): Number of individuals who reported: preparing more home-cooked meals; modifying ingredients and/or preparation techniques to improve nutrition

Method: Self-report survey; specific curricula or program evaluations

Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program


Outcome: Chronic Disease Prevention

Indicator(s): Number of individuals who reported: participants who had one or more health indicator (cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index, blood glucose) improved.

Method: Self-report survey

Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program


Initial Outcome: Increased number of youth maintaining positive mental health habits 

Indicator(s): Number of youth who indicated they help others reach their goals (Common Measures – UN 11)

Method: Pre & Post Evaluations

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program


Intermediate Outcome: Youth will contribute to their communities 

Indicator(s): Number of youth who indicated they talked about ways to be active in 4-H (Common Measures – BA 5)

Method:  Pre & Post Evaluations

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program


Long- Term Outcome: Increased number of youth maintaining positive mental health habits 

Indicator(s): Number of youth who report making healthy lifestyle choices

Method:  Pre & Post Evaluations

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Families Impacted by Addiction

Project or Activity: Addiction Training

Content or Curriculum: Addiction 101

Inputs: FCS Agent, UK specialist

Dates: 2021


Audience: 8th Grade Students

Project or Activity: Truth and Consequences

Content or Curriculum: Truth and Consequences: The Choice Is Yours

Inputs: FCS Agent, community partners, MCMS, St. Pat, Extension Homemakers

Date: Annually every October


Audience: Families

Project or Activity: Cooking Through the Calendar 

Content or Curriculum: KYNEP Calendar

Inputs: FCS Agent

Date: Monthly


Audience: Children under 5

Project or Activity: Stories, Songs, and Stretches 

Content or Curriculum: Stories, Songs, and Stretches

Inputs: FCS Agent, Head Start, preschool teachers

Date: Monthly during school year


Audience: Families and Individuals

Project or Activity: Food Preservation

Content or Curriculum: Publications, UK research-based information, Ball Blue Book, So Easy to Preserve

Inputs: FCS Agent, UK specialist

Dates: Annually between May and August


Audience: 2nd graders

Project or Activity: Food Explorers 

Content or Curriculum: Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud recipes

Inputs: FCS Agent, 2nd grade teachers

Date: Monthly during school year


Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Mental Health Series

Content or Curriculum: 4-H GEM

Inputs: 4-H Agent, teachers, parents

Date: Fall


Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: 4-H Health Workshop

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Health Rocks

Inputs: 4-H Agent, teachers, schools

Date: Fall



Success Stories

Body Balance

Author: Heather Cheek

Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General

The Mason County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent partnered with the Montgomery County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent to implement the Body Balance: Protect Your Body from Pollution with a Healthy Lifestyle lesson “Make Your Plate a Rainbow.” The lesson was delivered to an audience of 4 direct participants and 30 indirect participants through the Zoom recording posted on the Mason County Family and Consumer Sciences Facebook page. Following the lesson, there was a 100% increase

Full Story

Mason County Schools Food Distribution Healthy Recipes

Author: Heather Cheek

Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation

When one of the directors of the Mason County Family Resource Center reached out to Mason County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension, they asked for an idea to help parents get their children to eat more fruits and vegetables. Mason County Schools were giving out food distribution boxes every week to families in the county who had children under the age of 18. Unfortunately, parents were saying that the fresh fruits and vegetables were going bad and their kids weren’t eating them. Mason

Full Story
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