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The Health Foundation partners with others to improve school health at YISD

October 21, 2016

The CATCH Global Foundation is proud to announce significant results at 14 Ysleta Independent School District (YISD) elementary schools in El Paso, TX during Phase 1 implementation of the highly effective, evidence-based CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health) program. The project is made possible through a generous grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas’ (BCBSTX) “Healthy Kids, Healthy Families” initiative.

The Paso del Norte Health Foundation provided support to YISD to expand the CATCH program to 11,000 students and 23 schools in Phase 2. The YISD CATCH Phase 2 training officially kicked-off on Wednesday, October 26th at Capistrano Elementary School. “We are thrilled with the healthy results we’ve seen in our students this past year after implementing the CATCH curriculum,” said Sonia Noriega, YISD Lead Teacher of Health Physical Education. “The schools have done a great job of moving the program forward and making a huge difference in the lives of our students, their families and the overall school environment. We can’t wait to continue our commitment to fighting childhood obesity and teaching the importance of making healthy choices.”

Since implementation at YISD in August 2015, the program has yielded significant results, most notably a 53% increase in Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity. Other outcomes include a 14% increase in the number of days students played outdoors and a 20% increase in the number of times students ate fruit. You can find more results from Phase 1 here.

CATCH is considered the most cost-effective means of preventing childhood obesity, according to independent research and third-party evaluation. Developed at universities over the past 25 years, CATCH is now being used by more than 10,000 sites worldwide to combat obesity and improve child health. Dr. Kelly, Vice President for Programs at the Paso del Norte Health Foundation states, “To benefit students, school health systems must be comprehensive and coordinated. Effective school health is more than a program or curricula; it involves active leadership and commitment from school administrators, school health councils, parents, as well as campus employees to provide an environment and educational offerings that promote student wellness now and for the future.”

“Healthy Kids, Healthy Families” began as a three-year initiative to pull local, state and national resources together to make a significant impact on childhood health and wellness. The CATCH Global Foundation links under-served communities to funds and resources needed to implement the CATCH program. All stakeholders involved in the YISD kick-off are excited to see the impact CATCH will have on the community in El Paso.

The CATCH training with YISD leadership will kick-off on Wednesday, October 26th at Capistrano Elementary School – 240 Mecca St., El Paso, TX 79907. From 11:30 a.m. to noon, there will be a CATCH P.E. demonstration that will lend itself to great video and photo opportunities. From noon to 12:30 p.m., there will be lunch served and opportunities for the media to obtain interviews with school members, CATCH trainers, and sponsoring organizations. For more information or to attend, please contact shermayne@bounceaustin.com. CATCH Global Foundation The CATCH Global Foundation partners with researchers at UTHealth and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to expand, develop and sustain the CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health) platform, and connects underserved schools and communities to the resources and funds necessary to implement it effectively. CATCH improves the health of children from pre-K through middle school, in both school and after-school settings, through an environmental approach including classroom curriculum, better nutritional decisions, and increased levels of physical activity, and supports that impact through community engagement. Since its inception over 25 years ago, CATCH has been created and maintained in a research university setting. CATCH is the most scientifically effective school health program on the market and is now used in 10,000 schools and educational settings worldwide.

Paso del Norte Health Foundation The Paso del Norte Health Foundation is one of the largest private foundations on the U.S. - Mexico border. Established in 1995 from the sale of Providence Memorial Hospital to Tenet Healthcare Corporation, the mission of the Health Foundation is to promote health and prevent disease in the region through leadership in health education, research and advocacy.
This unique region intersects three states and two countries, covering the areas of west Texas, southern New Mexico and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. The close connection offers no separation of boundaries when dealing with health, economic opportunity and quality of life. Poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyles, obesity, tobacco use, and diabetes are just a few of the risk factors that prevent residents from living healthy lives. To learn more about the Health Foundation, visit www.pdnhf.org, Facebook and Twitter: @PdNHFoundation, YouTube: PDNHFoundation

Healthy Kids, Healthy Families Healthy Kids, Healthy Families (HKHF) began as a three-year initiative designed to improve the health and wellness of at least one million children through community investments by Health Care Service Corporation and its Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Reaching nearly three million children within the first two years, HKHF is now a signature program of the organization and part of an ongoing commitment to invest in and partner with nonprofit organizations that offer sustainable, measurable programs to reach children and their families in areas of nutrition, physical activity, disease prevention and management, and supporting safe environments. To learn more about Health Kids, Healthy Families, please visit www.healthykidshealthyfamilies.org.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) – the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas – is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with nearly 80,000 physicians and healthcare practitioners, and 500 hospitals to serve 5 million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Montana, Oklahoma and New Mexico), the country’s largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth largest health insurer overall. Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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