WPHF Showcased at National Health Dialogue

 Grantmakers In Health (GIH), the national organization dedicated to fostering communication, collaboration, education and expertise among foundations and corporate giving programs focused on health and wellness, is hosting an Issue Dialogue, “Reaching Kids: Partnering with Preschools and Schools to Improve Children’s Health” later this month.  GIH invited Debbie Watson, Winter Park Health Foundation Vice President, to be one of the presenters to share information about the development and success of the Coordinated Youth Initiative (CYI) in the Winter Park-Maitland-Eatonville schools.  The CYI is viewed as a best practice in the implementation of the Coordinated School Health model promoted by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).

The program, May 27th in Washington D.C., will focus on the role played by the U.S. education system in influencing children’s health and development throughout a lifetime.

Ms. Watson will be part of a panel discussing “The Road Ahead-Opportunities and Challenges.” Other panelists include Debbie Chang-Nemours Health & Prevention Services; Amy Latham-the Colorado Health Foundation and Kim Firth, the Endowment for Health (NH).  Ms. Watson has been invited to make similar presentations on WPHF’s successful school-based health and wellness programs at other national conferences,  including the National School Board Association and the American School Health Association.