Knox County CES

Title:

Healthy in the Home

MAP:

Healthy Families, Healthy Communities

Agents Involved:

Wayne Kirby, Renata Farmer, Kelsee Dewees

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Family and Consumer Science

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Horticulture, Consumer and Home

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Nutrition and Food Systems General

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Health

Situation:

 A foundation of nutrition knowledge, skills and competencies in topics such as food safety, handling and preparation, cooking methods and techniques, feeding practices, food science, and food systems are essential to changing dietary behaviors. With the increased trend of chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky, individuals, families, and communities need tools and environments that support healthful dietary decisions. Health is more than one's physical being.  It also encompasses physical activity, personal safety, mental health, addiction prevention, and diversity and inclusion.  Moreover, substance use was the focal point of the CES Advisory Council Meeting in early 2019.   Taken together, youth KIP survey data and data from the CES needs assessment demonstrate the need to address substance use prevention, recovery, stigma, and impact on families and communities.  It is the goal of Knox County CES to meet the health needs of the individual and family as a whole. 

Long-Term Outcomes:

• Routinely employ healthy dietary practices that promote health and wellness (e.g. consume recommended daily fruits and vegetables and improve food management skills)
• Reduce the rate of chronic disease and obesity
• Routinely participate in physical activity
• Reduce the number of youth reporting drug, alcohol, and tobacco use

Intermediate Outcomes:

• Increase intake of fruits, vegetables, and other nutrient-dense foods; Practice healthy eating choices 
• Employ healthful cooking methods, feeding practices, and food preservation techniques
• Participate in physical activity
• Youth will practice refusal skills and will intervene to prevent use/abuse  

Initial Outcomes:

Youth and adults will:

• Increase awareness about relationships between food and nutrition practices and chronic disease.
• Improve food and nutrition-related skills (e.g. gardening, preparation and preservation techniques, safe food handling, food resource management)
• Increase motivation to access and prepare healthier foods
• Learn to read and follow instructions

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome:  Nutrition knowledge, skills, and competencies

Indicator:  Number of youth/adults who reported: use knowledge and skills to improve food-shopping management; utilize the food label to make healthy food choices; choosing smaller portions; increased food preservation knowledge; demonstrated recommended food preservation practices; use knowledge of food safety.

Method: Self-report surveys; specific curricula or program evaluations; 4-H Common Measures Survey Tool

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program

Initial Outcome:  Increased knowledge of substance use     

Indicator:  Number of individuals attending programs          

Method:  Testamonials, evaluations, 4-H Common Measures Survey tool

Timeline: Following each program

Intermediate Outcome:  Increased ability to use destigmatized language

Indicator:  Number of individuals intend to change behavior; Number of youth who indicated they made healthy lifestyle choices as are result of what they learned through 4-H programming

Method:  Retroactive pre-post; 4-H Common Measures Survey tool

Timeline: Throughout program

Intermediate Outcome: Preparing and preserving food 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: preparing healthier dishes; successfully followed a recipe to prepare a dish; preparing more home-cooked meals; modifying ingredients and/or preparation techniques to improve nutrition

Method: Self-report survey; specific curricula or program evaluations, 4-H Common Measures Survey Tool

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program;

Intermediate Outcome:  Dietary intake 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: eating 4-6 servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily

Method: Self-report surveys about fruit and vegetable intake or other dietary improvements; specific curricula or program evaluations, 4-H Common Measures Survey Tool

Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program;

Long Term Outcome:  Availability and access to healthy food 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: utilizing delivery systems/access points (e.g., farmers’ markets, CSAs, WIC, food pantries) that offer healthy foods; supplementing diets with healthy foods grown or preserved (e.g., community or backyard gardens, fishing, hunting, farmers markets); dollar value of vendor-reported sales or EBT, WIC, or Senior benefits redeemed at farmers’ markets; number of pints of foods preserved through water bath canning, pressure canning, freezing, or drying. Number of youth who report successfully preparing a meal for their families one more days per week.

Method: Self-report survey, 4-H Common Measures Survey Tool

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program;

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: General Public

Project or Activity: 4-H clubs, Homemakers clubs, Farmers Market sampling

Content or Curriculum: 4-H publications, FCS publications, ANR publications

Inputs: Extension Agents, Local resources. trainings

Date: September- June

Audience: General Public

Activity: Cooking Through the Calendar

Content/Curriculum: FCS Curriculum

Inputs: FCS/4-H Agent, Program Assistant, NEP Assistant, local resources, trainings

Date: September-April

Audience: Youths

Activity: Youth Nutrition Lessons (Preschool – 6th grade)

Content/Curriculum: 4-H/FCS/NEP/LEAP/Health Rocks curriculum/publications

Input: Extension Agents, Local Resources, trainings, NEP Assistant, Program Assistant

Date: Throughout school year

Audience: General Public

Activity: Food Preservation Bootcamp

Content: FCS curriculum on Food Safety, Canning, Drying and Freezing Techniques, NEP Assistant, FCS Agent, AG Agent, NEP Assistants

Date: Summer

Audience: General Public

Activity: Adult Lessons on Nutrition (meal planning, understanding food labels, food guide pyramid, farmer's market and gardening).

Content or Curriculum: FCS, AG and 4-H agent, NEP Assistant. NEP, 4H and FCS curriculum.

Date: Fall 2023/Spring 2024

Audience: General Public

Activity: Area-Wide Cooking School

Content or Curriculum: Area FCS Agents (FCS curriculum, HEEL) /Specialists

Date: November 2023

Audience: Youth

Activity: Super Star Chef & Other 4-H Nutrition programs (like Taste of Week Spin Club & Food and Culture After-school)

Content: 4-H Curriculum, FCS Curriculum

Date: Summer 2023/2024, Some throughout year

Audience: Youth & Families

Activity: Farm Fresh Kits

Content:4-H Curriculum, NEP curriculum

Date: July-September 2023

**All activities may be completed virtually in an on-line format (if needed) or in the tradition in-person format

Success Stories