Jessamine County CES

Title:

Improving Health & Well Being

MAP:

Health, Safety, & Wellness

Agents Involved:

Karli Giles, Cathy Weaver, Steve Musen

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Health

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Active Living and Health Promotions General

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Nutrition and Food Systems General

Situation:

The Jessamine County Cooperative Extension Services identified health, safety, and wellness shortfalls within the county through the Jessamine County Needs Assessment. One of the health concerns is obesity and its associated health risks such as diabetes and hypertension. The Cooperative Extension’s goal to address obesity is to change Jessamine County residents' health behavior choices. A strategy to improve health behavior choices is to provide food demonstrations and healthy cooking classes to the community. 

Another emerging issue within the county is substance abuse. Fatal overdoses have increased 41% from 2010 to 2017 and nonfatal overdoses have increased 113% in the same time period. One of the Jessamine County Cooperative Extension’s goals to address substance abuse is to provide life skills classes at Revive Ministries. Research has indicated that life skills taught to individuals in recovery provides them with the knowledge and skills to live on their own successfully.

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:

Jessamine county residents' overall health improves.

Participants adopt a healthy eating lifestyle.

•    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

Intermediate Outcomes:

Participants make healthier choices at the grocery store

Participants increase their fruit and vegetable consumption

Participants demonstrate new kitchen skills at home.

•    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

Initial Outcomes:

Participants will increase overall nutrition knowledge

Participants learn new kitchen skills

Participants increase their interests in fruits and vegetables

•    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

Evaluation:

The success of programs will be measured at the end of the program evaluation tool. An evaluation will immediately be given to participants after the last session of Lunch N' Learn, Cook Together Eat Together, LEAP, Super Star Chef, and Plate It Up Kentucky. The evaluator wants to determine if knowledge was increased by attending the program and if participants plan to make behavior changes. A six-month follow-up will be mailed or emailed to participants to assess their health behaviors after programs. If knowledge is increased and healthy behavior choices are made, programs (Lunch N' Learn, Cook Together Eat Together, Plate It Up Kentucky) will be deemed successful.

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

Learning Opportunities:

Lunch and Learn
State-supported FCS curriculum will be used
Audience: adults
Inputs: FCS Agent and FCS curriculum
Time frame: January-October 

Cook Together, Eat Together
State-supported FCS curriculum will be used
Audience: youth and their caregivers
Inputs: FCS Agent and FCS curriculum
Time frame: Spring months

LEAP
State-supported SNAP-ED curriculum will be used
Audience: 3-5-year-olds
Inputs: FCS Agent and FCS curriculum
Time frame: throughout the school year

Community Health Fairs
UK Extension and SNAP-ED publications will be used
audience: Jessamine County residents
inputs: FCS Agent, 4H Agent, Ag Agent, UK and SNAP-ED publications
time frame: Back to School Rallys, Summer kickoff celebrations, late spring with downtown festivals, fall before holidays 

Super Star Chef
State-supported SNAP-ED curriculum will be used
audience: 9-18-year-olds
inputs: 4-H Agent, FCS Agent, SNAP-ED volunteers, superstar chef curriculum
time frame: summer months

Plate It Up Kentucky
State-supported FCS curriculum and recipes will be used
audience: adults
inputs: FCS Agent, Plate It Up KY recipe cards, state-supported curriculum
time frame: spring-fall, farmer's market season 

Truth and Consequences Drug Prevention Program
state-supported UK Extension curriculum will be used
audience: Jessamine County High School Seniors
inputs: FCS Agent, 4-H Agent, Ag Agent, community volunteers, and leaders, school teachers, and truth and consequences curriculum
time frame: Spring semester 

Life Skills at Revive Ministries
Healthy Choices for EveryBody state-supported SNAP curriculum will be used
audience: adult males in recovery
inputs: FCS Agent and FCS curriculum
time frame: fall months 

• Mental Health 
  • Curriculum: Building Character and Social-Emotional Learning, Mindful Me, Centering on me, YMHFA   
  • Training: Agent In-service
• 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 Dance fit, 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

Project or Activity: Small-scale Brambles Production and Nutrition Program

• Audience: Jessamine County Senior Center participants
• Content or Curriculum: Small-scale Brambles Production and Nutrition
• Inputs: U.K. Home Horticulture and Nutrition Specialists
• Date: Year-Round

Project or Activity: Fall Foods from Seeds to Supper

• Audience: Homeowners, Community Garden participants, Hobby Gardeners
• Content or Curriculum: Small-scale Fall Vegetable Production and Cooking
• Inputs: U.K. Home Horticulture and Nutrition Specialists
• Date: Late Summer/Early Fall

Success Stories