The Youth Healthy Lifestyle Project at EMHS

A Let’s Go! Dissemination Region

The Youth Healthy Lifestyle Project (YHLP) at EMHS was created in 2008 as a childhood   obesity prevention project to help support organizations, local champions, and                 communities in northern and eastern Maine in their efforts to  increase the number of youth at a healthy weight. Through partnerships with numerous local organizations, the YHLP works to provide grants, tools, purchasing assistance and collegial support to individuals and groups who work directly with children, families and caregivers on issues surrounding health, weight, and obesity. The YHLP has also partnered with Let’s Go! to deliver easy to remember, consistent healthy lifestyle messaging throughout our communities in the form of “5-2-1-0”:

 

Using our regional partners and  a multi-sectored approach piloted by Let’s Go!, the YHLP has connected with schools, child care facilities, healthcare facilities, after school programs, community groups, and workplaces to address childhood obesity and promote healthy   lifestyles. In doing so, the YHLP has:

· Formed relationships with the Healthy Maine Partnerships in northern and eastern Maine

· Awarded eight mini-grants to the Healthy Maine Partnerships to support  community activities that promote 5-2-1-0 and healthy lifestyle choices

· Registered more than 150 schools, childcare facilities and healthcare facilities to           participate in the 5-2-1-0 program

· Provided  free 5-2-1-0 toolkit materials to all interested schools, healthcare and           childcare facilities in our seven county region (more than150 units)

· Held six training sessions throughout northern and eastern Maine for teachers, school staff, healthcare providers, child care providers, parents, caregivers, and school health coordinators who are interested in using the 5-2-1-0 message and promoting healthy weights and healthy lifestyles

 

We are in the process of:

· Distributing resources that help schools and childcare facilities make lasting policy changes that will ensure a healthy environment for years to come

· Purchasing additional Let’s Go! toolkits to provide to schools and childcare centers

· Working to create regional events that will encourage youth to promote healthy           lifestyles in their schools and communities

· Conducting assessments of the usage and awareness surrounding our program

· Planning additional training and outreach sessions to provide greater access to the           5-2-1-0 message and programming

· Providing tools to help healthcare staff start healthy lifestyle conversations with patients

· Increasing the number of hospitals and community-based organizations who are           utilizing 5-2-1-0 resources

 

 

 

For more information contact Lee Averill:

laverill@emh.org; 207-951-4457