The Ohio Health Education Model Curriculum Advisory Committee met on December 12 to continue its work with the Ohio Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (OAHPERD) in developing Ohio’s Health Education Model Curriculum.
Ohio is the only state in the nation that doesn’t have health education standards. Furthermore, health education is the only academic content area without academic content standards.
The objective of the K-12 standards-based model curriculum is to guide Ohio’s schools to adopt a skill-based approach to health education. The OAHPERD has partnered with the Health Policy Institute of Ohio to convene the Ohio Health Education Model Curriculum Advisory Committee to provide input on the creation, components, and structure of the model curriculum. Executive Vice President Ann Spicer is a member of the advisory committee representing the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians.
The content framework of the curriculum includes the following topics organized by grade bands: alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs; healthy eating; human growth and development; healthy relationships; mental and emotional health; personal health and wellness; safety; and violence prevention.
The group’s goal is to publish a final version of a curriculum by June 2019.
This is a long-overdue effort to get a basic health education into the schools, providing students with the basic tools to be able to partner with us in achieving optimal health and well-being. Thanks Ann for having primary care at the table as this is hammered out, and let membership know if you need assistance!