Marion County CES

Title:

Promoting Phsyical, Mental, Emotional, and Financial Wellness

MAP:

Promoting Community Wellness

Agents Involved:

Danielle Ford, Rebecca Hill, Dave Kessler

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Securing Financial Stability (general)

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Nurturing Families (general)

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)

Situation:

It is important for the citizens of Marion County to focus on a holistic approach to wellness. Therefore, the goal for the next four years to approach not only physical wellness but also mental, emotional, and financial. Both the County Extension Council and the Family and Consumer Sciences Advisory Council identified these areas during their needs assessments. When it come to accessing nutritious foods, the obesity epidemic threatens the quality and years of life of all Kentuckians. When it comes to making healthy lifestyle choices, obese individuals are at increased risk for many chronic health conditions. The obesity rate in Kentucky increased 90 percent over the last 15 years. When it comes to nurturing families, healthy couple and parenting relationships and resulting family stability benefit the well-being of adults and children. Co-habiting, same-sex, divorced, widowed, and single households are the new majority. In 2009, 26% of Kentucky children lived in poverty, ranking Kentucky 48th in the nation. Children who start kindergarten with delayed development and fewer assets are by far more likely to repeat grades, get tracked into lower-tier classes, and drop out of high school than more advantaged children. When it comes to financial security, Kentucky consistently lags behind other areas of the United States in household income indicators, including personal income, population living below the poverty line, unemployment, and revolving debt loads. When it comes to accessing nutritious foods, nutrition education programs help families gain access to food and stretch food dollars. By taking care of all aspects of ones health their is an overall wellness and decreased risk for preventable diseases.

Long-Term Outcomes:

-Kentucky population will increase average fruit and vegetable consumption by 1 or more servings per day.
-Youth will be food secure when school is not in session.
-Individuals and families are increasing their income as well as maximizing income resources consumption.
-Improve the quality of life for Kentuckians resulting in stronger families.
-Build personal strengths and self-control, interpersonal communication, life skills including wise decision making
-Foster the optimal development of children and youth
-Decrease in the number of obese and overweight children, youth, and adults
-Improvement in the built environment to promote physical activity and healthy eating
-Manage and prevent the risk, debilitation, and premature death related to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and hypertension
-Increase the estimated health savings in dollars for chronic disease

Intermediate Outcomes:

-Apply improved food preparation skills, food management skills, food safety, and healthy eating habits.
-Access more local foods
-Adopt short, mid, and long term financial planning strategies.
-Practice one or more resource management behaviors resulting in increased savings or investments.
-Ate family meals four or more times a week
-Practice skills to strengthen and sustain relationships
-Identified realistic expectations for child's tasks
-Practice healthy food choices and strengthen individuals' ability to build healthy eating plans and patterns
-Maintain appropriate calorie balance during each stage of life
-Practice of physical activity in families and communities and decreased time spent on sedentary behaviors

Initial Outcomes:

-Increase Knowledge and understanding of healthy eating, food safety, and food resource management.
-Learn to incorporate unfamiliar food or foods not currently eaten into a healthy diet.
-Teenagers and adults will show increased knowledge and skills related to managing available financial resources.
-Increase financial literacy related to savings and investments.
-Intends to manage stress, make time for self, listen, talk, bond with family members, read with children daily, teach responsibility in use of money, etc.
-Verbalizes realistic behavior expectations
-Describes child's developmental levels relative to averages
-Change awareness, knowledge, and opinions to make informed decisions regarding childhood and youth obesity, adult weight management, healthy aging, reduction of chronic disease, etc.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Participants will gain knowledge of the importance of physical, mental, and emotional wellness.
Indicator: Increased awareness of keys to wellness and use of extension resources.
Method: Follow Up Survey
Timeline: Up to 3 months after the program.

Intermediate Outcome:Participants will use strategies to budget money, make healthier food choices, actively pursue health lifestyle choices, and nurture family relationships.
Indicator: Families will be more financially stable, cook healthier foods, exercise, and will spend quality family time together.
Method: Survey
Timeline: 6 to 12 months after the program.

Long-term Outcome: Participants will have decreased their chances for preventative health problems by focusing on a holistic wellness approach.
Indicator: Decreased diagnosis of preventable illnesses
Method: Statistical Data
Timeline: 3 to 5 years after the program.

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Preschool Youth
Project or Activity: Nutrition, Exercise, Hygiene, and Financial Lessons
Content or Curriculum: Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Primary
Inputs: Family and Consumer Sciences Agent
Date: August-May, Once a month with each class

Audience: Marion County Cooking Team
Project or Activity: Nutrition Lessons and Recipe Demonstrations
Content or Curriculum: Healthy Choices for Everybody
Inputs: Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, EFNEP Assistant
Date: August-May, Once a month

Audience: Senior Citizens
Project or Activity: Nutrition, Financial, Healthy Homes, Aging, and Healthy Lifestyle Choices Lessons
Content or Curriculum: Keys to Embracing Aging, supplemental programming for each specific lesson
Inputs: Family and Consumer Sciences Agent
Date: August-May, Once a Month

Audience: Low Income Housing Residents
Project or Activity: Wellness Lessons on Nutrition, Healthy Lifestyle Choices, and Financial Wellness
Content or Curriculum: Where Does Your Money Go? and Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Inputs: Family and Consumer Sciences Agent
Date: August-May, Once a month

Audience: Marion County Residents
Project or Activity: Food Demonstrations at the Lebanon Farmer's Market
Content or Curriculum: Plate It Up Kentucky Proud
Inputs: Family and Consumer Sciences Agent
Date: April-October

Audience: Middle School Youth
Project or Activity: Financial Literacy Lessons
Content or Curriculum: Building a Healthy, Wealthy Future
Inputs: Family and Consumer Sciences Agent
Date: Two to Three Lessons Each Nine Weeks During School

Audience: Middle & High School Youth
Project or Activity: Lessons on Healthy Relationships
Content or Curriculum: Relationship Smarts
Inputs: Family and Consumer Sciences Agent
Date: Once a Week, Each Nine Weeks

Audience: School Age Parents
Project or Activity: Lessons on Parenting
Content or Curriculum: Keys to Great Parenting
Inputs: Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, FRYSC
Date: Each Nine Weeks

Success Stories