Promoting Healthy Choices to School-Aged Childrenin Miami-Dade County

Lillian Rivera, RN, MSN, PhDAdministrator/Health OfficerFlorida Department of Health

in Miami-Dade CountyOctober 3, 2014

Initiatives Creating Partnerships/ Bringing Stakeholders Together

• Consortium for a Healthier Miami- Dade

• Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW)

• Make Healthy Happen Miami

Childcare Centers

• Environmental and system changes implemented – Facilitate healthier menu changes– Increase physical activity– Decrease screen time

Miami-Dade CountyPublic Schools

• Wellness Policy adopted by School Board (May 2006)

• Healthy Beverage and Food Guidelines incorporated into the policy (November 2009)

• Environmental changes implemented– Refrigerated reimbursable cash-less vending

machines offer fresh, healthy meals • All 177 elementary schools designated USDA

HealthierUS Schools Bronze Award winners

Miami-Dade CountyPublic Schools

• Florida-grown fruits and vegetables provided through the school meal program in 2009– South Florida local harvest season (generally

November through April) accommodates the academic school year

• CPPW 40 Pilot Schools: Forty schools located in South Miami selected to participate in the CPPW Farm-to-Schools initiative

Physical Education/Health Literacy

• Department of Physical Education and Health Literacy increased SPARK* curriculum from 40 to 240 schools – Grades three through five – Spark approved equipment provided

*Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids

Alliance for aHealthier Generation

• Increased opportunities for students to engage in healthy behaviors

• Cadre of Coaches – Ten champions in Healthy Schools Program

• Implementation grants to 58 schools to promote increased physical activity and healthy eating in line with Healthy Schools Program

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

• WalkSafe™ program– Pedestrian safety skills, physical activity, walkability

surrounding elementary schools– Multidisciplinary approach reduces pedestrian

injuries in high-risk neighborhoods• Transportation Surveillance System (TSS)

– First survey of its kind in Miami-Dade County– Site surveys to validate self-reported results– Health promotion and active transportation

awareness for Miami-Dade County school administrators

Miami-Dade County Parks

Recreation and Open Spaces

• Fit2Play®

– Health Wellness and Obesity Prevention After-School and Out of School Program

– Homework help followed by SPARK activities– Offered at 34 parks– Studied and endorsed by University of Miami as a

national model

Thank you

Questions?