Coordinated school health and the contribution of a district wellness coordinator.
BACKGROUND
A San Francisco Bay Area school health initiative was established in fall 2010 to improve wellness programs in 4 local school districts using the Coordinated School Health (CSH) model. This study examines the role of district-wide wellness coordinators and the ways in which they contribute to intentional coordination of health and wellness programs and activities in their school districts.


METHODS
This study included 8 schools across 4 school districts. Researchers conducted semistructured interviews and focus groups with district and school staff, students, parents, wellness committee members, and wellness coordinators in 2012 to examine a range of perspectives about the coordination of school health and wellness.


RESULTS
District wellness coordinators' efforts were linked to an increase in (1) awareness of health and wellness, (2) integration of wellness activities within and across schools and districts, and (3) leveraged resources.


CONCLUSIONS
Wellness coordinators are critical to successful CSH efforts. Through intentional and strategic collaboration with key stakeholders, wellness coordinators advance CSH goals of integrating health and wellness programs within and across school districts, reaching more students equitably and leveraging resources.
Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, John W. Gardner Center, 365 Lasuen Street, 3rd Floor, Stanford, CA 94305. lisamwestrich@gmail.com.
Lisa
L
Westrich
Monika
M
Sanchez
Karen
K
Strobel
D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D012495:San Francisco; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
coordinated school health; implementation; school health; wellness coordinator