Southern Illinois University

Project Title: CATCH Onto Health!: Coordinated Approach to Child Health
Grant Period: 2010-2013 FORHP Delta grantee
Program Representative Interviewed: Jeff Franklin, Project Coordinator and Kim Sanders, Director Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
Intervention Setting: School
Program Overview: Southern Illinois University helped implement a Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH) program throughout a multi-county region in the Midwest.

CATCH is backed by extensive research that demonstrates its success. It affects four of the eight components of the Coordinated School Health model (i.e. health education, physical education, health services, mental health and social services, nutrition services, healthy and safe environment, family and community involvement, and staff wellness).

The health department began offering grants to schools to become CATCH schools. Schools received training and $5,000-$10,000 to purchase equipment. When the state began to shift its focus from preventing cardiovascular disease to preventing obesity, the CATCH model was used. Program staff use the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) to evaluate the extent to which students are moving during Physical Education classes.

Evidence-based models highlighted

Resources required for implementing program