Massachusetts Children at Play Supporting the Health and Wellness of Our State’s Young Children Kate Roper Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) Director, Mass Department of Public Health (DPH) Janet McKeon Training Coordinator Manager, Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)

Childhood Obesity Data According to CDC and Prevention: 16 % of MA Children (over 8M) between ages 6-9 are obese 15-19% of MA preschool children are obese with higher rates for Hispanic and African American children

Massachusetts Response: EEC EEC licensing regulations (promulgated in January 2010) require programs and educators to: Offer 60 minutes of physical activity Design and implement nutrition programs meeting USDA. guidelines Receive training in USDA nutrition guidelines

DPH Response: CDC Funding DPH Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Prevention and Mass ECCS (MECCS) successfully applied for Center for Disease Control (CDC) ARRA funding to support new EEC regulation, particularly around policy and environmental change using public health approach (June 2010)

ESE Response: DOE Funding The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) also applied for USDA funding for the Child Care and Adult Food Program (CACFP) programs to augment training and technical assistance (TA) delivered, primarily to family child care

Blending Resources DPH, EEC, ESE are coming together (with MECCS support) to blend resources & utilize common training models to target child care health consultants, Head Start Nutritionists and CACFP program consultants This team participated in ACF sponsored Region I strategic planning on obesity prevention

MECCS Linkages TA provision to EEC re: new regulations Liaison between DPH, EEC, ESE Training collaborative on I am Moving, I am Learning (IMIL) Training and support for network of Child Care Health Consultants (CCHCs)

Mass Children at Play (MCAP) DPH, EEC, ESE formed Mass Children at Play (MCAP) to: Provide training, resources and support to early education and care programs and assess their effectiveness Increase quantity and quality of physical activity for children Promote the importance of good nutrition for educators, children and families Support both grant initiatives and link to existing state efforts

MCAP Members DPH EEC ESE Administration for Children and Families Regional Office Boston Public Health Commission Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Project Harvard Prevention Resource Center Head Start State Collaboration Office Higher Ed Comprehensive Family and Community Engagement grantee Child Care Resource and Referral Agency/ Educator Provider Support grantee

TWO MODELS TOGETHER NAP SACC IMIL

NAP SACC The Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC): Practice-based intervention to enhance policies, practices, and environments in child care Developed by University of North Carolina (UNC)

NAP SACC: Goals Assist and support preschool programs in making policy and practice changes that include more attention to nutrition and physical activity

The NAP SACC Intervention Model Director/admin. completes self assessment Child Care Health Consultant (CCHC) supports work around changes ID’d ( FTE over 6months) CCHC delivers five workshops on topics including talking to parents and self-care Program completes self assessment again at end of intervention period

I am Moving, I am Learning (IMIL)  Evidence Supported Research to Practice  Proactive Approach to reduce childhood obesity in Head Start and now Child Care in Massachusetts

(IMIL): Goals Increase moderate to vigorous activity (MVPA) daily Improve quality of structured movement activities facilitated by educators Promote healthy food choices among children each day

IMIL: Concepts Messaging through music, mascot Link to brain development Action Awareness (What my body does) Effort Awareness (How my body moves) Space Awareness (Where my body moves); Relational Awareness (With myself, other movers and objects) Nutritional Awareness (Healthy eating and drinking) Choose Healthy Options Often and Start Young (Choosy Kids)

IMIL: Workshop Modules Overview of IMIL Body Language MVPA Every Day Nutrition Building Blocks Moving with the Brain in Mind Move, Play & Learn at Home Activities for All Take it Outdoors

IMIL MVPA Time Sample Song: Shake Mix/Stir Pound Roll

IMPLEMENTATION Opportunity Knocks: Reversing Current Obesity Trends

Project Coordinator 8/2010 DPH hired a project coordinator through ARRA funding: Coordinate project with three agencies

Preschool Mentors 1/ 2010 Cohort of 23 CCHCs/HS Nutritionists CCHCs/HS Nutritionists (Mentors) trained in NAP SACC and IMIL Implement NAPSACC at up to 5 programs (with ARRA stipends) Coordinator provides support to CCHCs and conducts regular site visits Agree and sign MOU Receive $1,000 stipend

IMIL Training 10/2010 DPH coordinator, EEC staff and other New England IMIL trainers deliver training for trainers to: EEC Licensors EPS Grantees CFCEs Food Sponsorships

Expansion 1/2011 Demo Sites Complete NAP SACC Intervention Outreach and registration begins for demo site programs to attend regional IMIL training CACFP Food Programs begin NAP SACC Implementation Translation of IMIL Expansion to Infant & Toddler Programs Additional links to resources through WIC and UMASS Extention Services College Credit for training completion

March, 2011 Data is analyzed from program pre/post NAP SACC assessments, follow-up from IMIL training New cohort of 23 CCHC’s begin NAP SACC implementation at another ~100 programs CACFP Demo Sites Receive IMIL training

Connection to Other Initiatives Let’s Move DPH Mass In Motion USDA Nutrition Curriculum PA program guide for children with special needs Head Start Body Smart CSEFEL EEC CORE Competencies EEC QRIS EEC Infant, Toddler & Preschool Guidelines Mass Chapter of AAP Obesity Committee Evaluation of EEC regulation, Sara Benjamin, Duke University Harvard Prevention Research Center

Online Resources Center for Excellence (NAP SACC Tool trt.org/index.cfm?fa= trt.org/index.cfm?fa= opinterventions.intervention&intervention=napsacc&page=materials Head Start Body Start Choosy Kids Healthy Kids, Healthy Future Mass In Motion Department of Early Education and Care Licensing Regulations Preventing Obesity: Caring for Our Children Standards

Contacts Kate Roper (617) Janet Mckeon (617)