4-H Health
Nutrition & Health
Misty Wilmoth
Health
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.
- Reduced fatalities
- Reduced number of children in foster care
- Reduced incarceration
- Increased number of youth maintaining positive health habits;
- Increased number of youth at a lower risk for serious disease and illness;
- Increased number of youth at a lower risk for physical and emotional distress
- Reduce the number of youth reporting drug, alcohol, and tobacco use
- Increased adoption and mastery of healthy behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle
- New coalitions developed to address SUC and MH
- Improved access and utilization of resources
- Improved perceived stress and ability to cope
- Youth will contribute to their communities
- Youth will practice refusal skills,
- Youth will intervene to prevent use/abuse
- All agents trained in YMHFA
- Improved in awareness of health concerns for youth
- Improved education about SUD and MH disease
- Improved education about diversity and Inclusion
- Reduced stigma of individuals with SUD and MH disease
- Improved understanding of the consequences of risk behaviors
- Promote optimal physical, social and emotional health habits
- Outcome to be Evaluated
- Number of youth who indicated they learned about healthy food choices through 4-H
- Method of Evaluation
- Number of youth who were educated on health and well-being through 4-H programs? (KOSA)
- Number of youth who indicated they made healthy lifestyle choices as are result of what they learned through 4-H programming? (PRACTICE)
- Number of youth who indicated they increased their daily number of servings of fruits and vegetables eaten as a result of 4-H programs? (PRACTICE) Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #6 “Is 4-H A place where you get to figure out things for yourself?” (SEEC)
- Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #13 “Is 4-H a place where you have a chance to be a leader?” (SEEC)
Learning Opportunities/Programs
- Mental Health
- Curriculum: Building Character and Social-Emotional Learning, Mindful Me, Centering on me, YMHFA
- Training: Agent In-services
- Personal Safety
- Curriculum: Code name: Home Alone, Keeping Fit & Healthy- First Aid in Action, Headlines for Health
- Training: Agent In-services
- Physical Health
- Curriculum: 4-H Dancefit, Get Moving Kentucky, Keeping Fit & Healthy, SPARK, Steps to a Healthy Teen, Bicycling for fun, Wheels in Motion, Outdoor Adventures
- Training: Agent In-services
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Curriculum: Building Character and Social-Emotional Learning, Essential Elements, Diversity: The source of Our Strength, Be SAFE: Safe, Affirming, & Fair Environments, Black History, 4-H LIFE
- Training: Agent In-services
- Addiction Prevention
- Curriculum: Health Rocks!, YMHFA
- Training: Agent In-services
Author: Misty Wilmoth
Major Program: Substance Use and Mental Health - FCS
The LaRue County Cooperative Extension Service partnered with the LaRue County High School Family Resource Youth Service Center to offer the Truth and Consequences program to all 210 LaRue County High School ninth graders in November 2023. District Court Judge Derek Reed spoke to the entire freshman class about issues related to drug use. Each student then drew for a scenario which took them to various stops in the high school gym. A "parent" volunteer accompanied the