Bullitt County CES

County Emphasis:

Nutrition, Health & Wellbeing

Concentration 1:

Substance Use Prevention and Recovery

Concentration 2:

Food Safety, Quality, and Access

Concentration 3:

Health and Wellbeing

Concentration 4:

Mental Health and Well-Being

Situation:

State Situation of Food Safety, Quality, and Access

It is proven that people who have access to and consume their daily dietary requirements of fresh fruits and vegetables are less likely to suffer from chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease and have an increased quality of life. Having the knowledge and skills to prepare or preserve fresh fruits and vegetables presents an additional barrier beyond obtaining fresh food access.

With the goal of increasing the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) aims to increase access to fresh food, as well as increase knowledge and awareness of how to select, store, safely prepare, process, and preserve these foods. CES prioritizes statewide partnership development that helps us meet our goals and objectives. We collaborate with statewide agencies including Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Community Farm Alliance, KY Farm to School Network, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife and others to help build statewide systems that increase access and usage of fresh fruits and vegetables. These programs benefit Kentuckians because they support food access policy, systems and environmental changes in communities and across the state. They increase knowledge of how to grow, prepare, and preserve fresh fruits and vegetables.

State Situation of Health and Wellbeing 

The opportunities and resources available to support the health and well-being of adults and families in Kentucky vary widely. Disparities in health-promoting knowledge, resources, and infrastructure contribute to higher rates of chronic health conditions and lower quality of life. Prevention, early detection, and care are essential to maintain and/or improve quality of life. Yet, this burden is often placed on individuals to navigate the healthcare system and traditional public health entities. Additionally, for decades, little attention has been given to the external factors that undoubtedly affect health such as access to care, education, nutritious foods, and safe physical spaces. These same issues and concerns were echoed throughout the 2023 UK Cooperative Extension Community Assessment. Within the top 15 priority issues identified by Kentuckians, “ensuring individuals and families have access to affordable nutritious foods” was #4 and “reducing youth obesity through nutrition education and/or exercise” was #8. Guided by the Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health Equity and Well-being, UK Extension aims to become a critical public health partner for addressing disparities in health-promoting knowledge, resources, and infrastructure through comprehensive health, nutrition, and wellness programming that supports adult physical health and well-being.

State Situation of Mental Health and Well Being

More than ever before, people are feeling the burden of stress on their wellbeing. More than 1 in 5 adults in the United States lives with a mental illness; in Kentucky, 43% of adults report signs or symptoms of anxiety or depression across their lifespan. At the same time, suicide is a leading cause of preventable death in Kentucky for individuals aged 10-34, and those over the age of 59.

Concern over the state of mental health and access to care was echoed in the Cooperative Extension Community Needs Assessment, where respondents listed “improved access to mental health and wellbeing resources” as one of the top 6 priority issues. Kentuckians are aware of their need for knowledge and skills to recognize and respond to a mental health challenge, whether it be their own or to help someone else, and the ability to advocate for more mental health resources in all areas of the state.

Cooperative Extension is poised with the research and evidence-based resources needed to serve as a beacon of hope in times of distress through our ability to help overcome stigma, connect people to care, and amplify the voices of many to advocate for better quality of life for all.

County Situation:

Long-Term Outcomes:

Adults- Food Safety, Quality, and Access

• Individuals and families of all incomes levels have access to affordable and nutritious foods
• Decrease in the number of Kentuckians with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.
• More Kentuckians routinely met the guidelines for the consumption of (locally-grown) fresh fruits and vegetables.

Adults- Health and Well Being

• Routinely meeting guidelines and recommendations for health behaviors that promote wellness and quality of life
• Increased availability and accessibility to community-based health resources
• Reduced rate and burden of non-communicable chronic diseases and injury
• Improved quality of life
• Adults- Mental Health and Well Being
• Reduced incidence of mental health crises and suicide
• Increased access to mental health care and resources for all

Intermediate Outcomes:

Adults- Food Safety, Quality, and Access

Increased production of Kentucky-grown food and increased market opportunities for those products.

Increase in the number of farmers’ markets and local food retailers that accept one or more food benefits as payment.

Improved dietary habits through: consumption of more fruits and vegetables, a variety of proteins and the number of meals prepared at home.

Adults- Health and Well Being

• Increased health-promoting behaviors that support family, community, and occupational health and safety
• Increased and/or strengthened partnerships to address community health or safety issues
• Increased organizational/site/community support for health-promoting behaviors that equitably address community health or safety issues
• 
  

Adults-Mental Health and Well Being

• Increased use of de-stigmatized language
• Increased use of self-care and other coping strategies
• Increased advocacy for mental health and wellbeing resources
• Increased partnerships (number or strength) to address mental health and wellbeing issues within the community

Initial Outcomes:

Adults- Food Safety, Quality, and Access

Increased awareness of Extension resources and programs supporting food access.

Improved skills related to safe food preparation and food preservation.

Increased participation in Homebased Microprocessing workshops.

Increased awareness and accessibility of community resources available to access fresh foods.

Increase the number of partnerships and/or coalitions involved in promoting awareness of local food systems, healthy eating, and active living (e.g. Program councils, Health Advisory Boards, etc.).

Adults- Health and Well Being

• Increased knowledge about health-promoting behaviors.
• Increased awareness of community resources to support health-promoting behaviors.
• Increased confidence in making decisions related to health-promoting behaviors.
• Improved skills related to health-promoting behaviors
• Adults- Mental Health and Well Being
• Increased ability to recognize and respond to a mental health concern
• Increased ability to use de-stigmatized language
• Increased knowledge of self-care and other coping strategies
• Increased knowledge of mental health and well-being resources (interpersonal and community-based)

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Increased intentions to employ health-promoting behaviors (e.g. vaccinations, screenings, preparation/consumption of nutritious foods, active living, pest prevention) 

Indicator: Number of participants who reported intentions to implement a behavior learned from a health and well-being program

Method: Demonstration or self-reported surveys

Timeline: Post-program/curricula survey administration

Intermediate Outcome: Increased organizational/site/community supports for health-promoting behaviors that equitably address community health and safety issues 

Indicator: Number of projects or initiatives working to improve a community health or safety issue

Method: Documentation (direct observation, photo, repeated survey) or interviews

Timeline: Ongoing/as changes are made and projects progress

Outcome: Increased knowledge of self-care and other coping strategies

Indicator: Number of participants who intend to adopt self-care strategies to improve their own mental health and well-being.

Method: Post-participation survey/evaluation results

Timeline: On-going; Surveys should be administered immediately after a program

Outcome: Increased partnerships (number or strength) to address mental health and well-being issues within the community

Indicator: Number of partnerships with community organizations, institutions, agencies, or individuals to address mental health and well-being in the community.

Method: Agent record of community partnerships utilized in programming

Timeline: Ongoing; Each partnership should be reported once per reporting interval

Outcome: Increase the number of partnerships and/or coalitions involved in promoting awareness of local food systems, health eating, and active living (e.g. Program councils, Health Advisory Boards, etc.). (initial)

Indicator: 

• Number of policy, systems, and/or environmental changes implemented within communities and organizations to promote active living, and healthy eating, including local food production and/or hunting/foraging and consumption (e.g. local food pantry can accept fresh foods or local game; starting/revitalizing a school or community garden; starting a walking club, etc.). 
• Number of individuals who were introduced to health food access points (e.g. farmers markets, CSAs, WIC, food pantries) through Extension programs or resources.

Method: Food Systems Impact Survey, planeatmove.com website data, NEP resources distributed;

Timeline: Annual, fiscal year (Food Systems Impact Survey);

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Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Individuals & Farmers

Project or Activity: Nutrition Education

Content or Curriculum: Nutrition Education Program, SNAP-Ed toolkit, Publications, Savor the Flavor, Plate it up! Kentucky Proud, Food as Health Toolkit, maternal and child health program materials, www.planeatmove.com, Super Star Chef, Hunger in Kentucky

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, community partners, volunteers, faith-based organizations, health coalitions, healthcare providers and local clinics, health department, non-profits, schools, company health & wellness, Homemakers, farmers’ markets, commodity groups, community centers, etc. 

Dates: Ongoing

Audience: Individuals & Farmers

Project or Activity: Home Based Micro Processing

Content or Curriculum: HBMP Training materials

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, volunteers, community partners, facilities, health department, State of Kentucky, KDA, non-profits, schools, faith-based organizations, Homemakers, community centers, farmers, farmers’ markets, etc. 

Dates: Ongoing

Audience: Individuals & Farmers

Project or Activity: Cook Wild

Content or Curriculum: Publications, trainings, recipes

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, volunteers, community partners, facilities, non-profits, 4-H, faith-based organizations, Homemakers, community centers, etc.

Dates: Ongoing

Audience: Families & Individuals

Project or Activity: Nutrition Education

Content or Curriculum: Nutrition Education Program, SNAP-Ed toolkit, Publications, Cook Together Eat Together, Savor the Flavor, Plate it up! Kentucky Proud, Cook Wild Ky, Recovery Garden Toolkit, Family Mealtime, maternal and child health program materials; LEAP

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, community partners, volunteers, faith-based organization, health coalitions, healthcare Providers and local clinics, health department, non-profits, schools, company health and wellness, Homemakers, farmers’ markets, local farms/growers/producers, commodity groups, community centers, etc. 

Date: Ongoing

Audience: Communities

Project or Activity: Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE) Approaches

Content or Curriculum: Pathways to Wellness, Story Walks,  food system work (e.g. farmers’ markets, backpack programs, community gardens), SNAP-Ed toolkit, creating and Maintaining Health Coalitions

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, community partners, volunteers, local organizations and community partners, health coalitions, Nutrition Education program, local farms/growers/producers, 

Date: Ongoing

Audience: Families and Individuals

Project or Activity: Family & Community Health

Content or Curriculum: Publications, presentations, trainings, demonstrations, Health Bulletins, Pathways to Wellness, resources for early care and education settings, Health Literacy for the Win, Health Family Guides, Healthy Homemakers, chronic disease prevention programs and materials, health fairs, hygiene education

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, volunteers, community partners, health coalitions, healthcare providers, health departments, non-profits, faith-based organizations, schools, company health & wellness, community centers, etc. 

Date: Ongoing

Audience: Families and Individuals

Project or Activity: Mental Health Education Programming

Content or Curriculum: CODE RED, Understanding and Coping with Trauma after Natural Disasters, After the Storm, Blue to You  

Inputs: Programmatic materials, state specialist support, staff training, facilities, community partners, UK Healthcare mental health resources, 988 community resources.

Date: Ongoing; July 2025- June 2026

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Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Increased intentions to employ health-promoting behaviors (e.g. vaccinations, screenings, preparation/consumption of nutritious foods, active living, pest prevention) 

Indicator: Number of participants who reported intentions to implement a behavior learned from a health and well-being program

Method: Demonstration or self-reported surveys

Timeline: Post-program/curricula survey administration

Intermediate Outcome: Increased organizational/site/community supports for health-promoting behaviors that equitably address community health and safety issues 

Indicator: Number of projects or initiatives working to improve a community health or safety issue

Method: Documentation (direct observation, photo, repeated survey) or interviews

Timeline: Ongoing/as changes are made and projects progress

Outcome: Increased knowledge of self-care and other coping strategies

Indicator: Number of participants who intend to adopt self-care strategies to improve their own mental health and well-being.

Method: Post-participation survey/evaluation results

Timeline: On-going; Surveys should be administered immediately after a program

Outcome: Increased partnerships (number or strength) to address mental health and well-being issues within the community

Indicator: Number of partnerships with community organizations, institutions, agencies, or individuals to address mental health and well-being in the community.

Method: Agent record of community partnerships utilized in programming

Timeline: Ongoing; Each partnership should be reported once per reporting interval

Outcome: Increase the number of partnerships and/or coalitions involved in promoting awareness of local food systems, health eating, and active living (e.g. Program councils, Health Advisory Boards, etc.). (initial)

Indicator: 

• Number of policy, systems, and/or environmental changes implemented within communities and organizations to promote active living, and healthy eating, including local food production and/or hunting/foraging and consumption (e.g. local food pantry can accept fresh foods or local game; starting/revitalizing a school or community garden; starting a walking club, etc.). 
• Number of individuals who were introduced to health food access points (e.g. farmers markets, CSAs, WIC, food pantries) through Extension programs or resources.

Method: Food Systems Impact Survey, planeatmove.com website data, NEP resources distributed;

Timeline: Annual, fiscal year (Food Systems Impact Survey);

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