Connecticut

Goals:

Develop Partnerships and Collaboration to Prevent Overweight and Obesity

Establish and support partnerships and collaborative interventions between the USDA nutrition assistance programs and other related groups in prevention efforts targeted at overweight and obesity.

Promote Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles

Promote adoption of healthy dietary patterns and regular physical activity among individuals, families and communities based on key messages in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. (Use/adapt Team Nutrition, Loving Support, Eat Smart. Play Hard.^TM, and other national resources whenever possible.)

Objective 1:

Create permanent workgroup to: act as statewide clearinghouse for information about programs, activities, etc., share resources, develop consistent messages, communicate with legislators and invite feedback about effectiveness of activities.

Tactics:

• Establish group including CFPC Nut. Ed. Subcommittee members, representatives from the CT Nutrition Council and the CT Dept of Agriculture

Lead Program and Staff: CFPC Nutrition Education Subcommittee

Completion Date: Ongoing

Tactics:

Follow up to the statewide conference:

• Share written summary of all ideas shared at the conference.

Lead Program and Staff: CFPC Nutrition Education Subcommittee

Completion Date: July 7, 2005

Tactics:

• Invite others to add their programs to our resources guide.

Lead Program and Staff: CFPC Nutrition Education Subcommittee

Completion Date: July 7, 2005

Tactics:

• Publicize the establishment of the above group and invite Nutrition Educators to share info, etc, with members of that group so that it can be shared statewide.

Lead Program and Staff: CFPC Nutrition Education Subcommittee

Completion Date: July 7, 2005

Tactics:

• Develop mechanism to communicate with legislature for funding, etc.

Lead Program and Staff: CFPC Nutrition Education Subcommittee

Completion Date: December 31, 2005

Objective 2:

Improve communications through a centralized mechanism for nutrition educators such as a webpage or newsletter, etc. 
 

Tactics: 

• Develop and maintain web page through the Department of Social Services.

Lead Program and Staff: CFPC, Mary Parizo, web page manager

Completion Date: Ongoing

Goal:

Educate individuals, families and communities about healthy dietary patterns and regular physical activity, based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Objective 1:

Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables among Food Stamp eligibles, WIC recipients and school children.

Tactics:

• Improve access for food stamps (EBT) to be accepted at farmers' markets in Connecticut.

Lead Program and Staff: DSS, DoAG, CFPC

Completion Date: September 30, 2006

Tactics:

• CT WIC will continue to participate in the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.

Lead Program and Staff: DPH

Tactics:

• Promote CT Grown fruits & vegetables to the general public.

Lead Program and Staff: DoAg

Completion Date: Ongoing

Tactics:

• Increase use of seasonal fruits & vegetables in school food service through Farm-to-Schools and other programs.

Lead Program and Staff: CFPC, DoAG

Completion Date: Ongoing

Tactics:

• Expand cooperation between growers, retailers and food banks to get more Connecticut grown products to food banks.

Lead Program and Staff: FPC, DoAG, EFNEP

Completion Date: Ongoing

Objective 2:

Increase FSP, WIC and Free/Reduced Breakfast & Lunch Program participation in CT.

Tactics:

• Continue and enhance outreach activities for all three programs.

Lead Program and Staff: DSS & Outreach Contractors

Completion Date: Ongoing

Tactics:

• Improve coordination of direct certification among FSP and Child Nutrition Programs.

Lead Program and Staff:  DSS and SDE

Completion Date: Ongoing

Tactics:

• Develop and implement local school district policies that promote increased participation in the school lunch and breakfast programs and increased access to fruits and vegetables throughout school campuses.

Lead Program and Staff:  CFPC, SDE

Completion Date: Ongoing

Objective 3:

Increase physical activity among Food Stamp eligibles and WIC participants 

Tactics:

• Refer to CT Food Stamp Nutrition Education Plans for 2005 and 2006, UCONN EFNEP, and CT State WIC plan for FY 2006.

Lead Program and Staff: UConn, DPH

Completion Date: September 30, 2006

Objective 4:

Educate Food Stamp eligibles about getting more nutritious food for their dollar and food safety.

Tactics:

• Refer to CT Food Stamp Nutrition Education Plans for 2005 and 2006.

Lead Program and Staff: UConn, DPH

Completion Date: September 30, 2006

Objective 5:

Decrease overweight and obesity among students in Connecticut.

Tactics:

• Develop guidelines for Promoting Healthy Weight in Schools.

• Revise CT Curriculum Frameworks to promote health literacy through nutrition and physical activity.

Lead Program and Staff: SDE

Completion Date: September 30, 2006

Objective 6:

Continue to promote healthy eating by providing nutrition information, counseling and referrals as necessary to WIC Program participants.

Tactics:

• Provide training to WIC Program nutritionists, who in turn provide services to WIC Program participants.

• Referrals to UCONN EFNEP 

Lead Program and Staff: 

• DPH

• Local WIC agencies

• UConn

Completion Date: Ongoing

Objective 7:

Create healthy school environments through nutrition and physical activity. 

Tactics:

• Develop guidelines for developing school policies that promote healthy eating and physical activity.

Lead Program and Staff: SDE

Completion Date: September 30, 2006

Tactics:

• Develop standards and an action guide for serving healthy snacks in school.

Lead Program and Staff: SDE

Completion Date: December 30, 2005

Tactics:

• Organize a statewide conference on developing school wellness policies and environments for school educators and administrators and educators.

Lead Program and Staff: SDE, CFPC

Completion Date: February 1, 2006

Tactics:

• Convene a statewide conference to encourage schools to purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables

Lead Program and Staff: CFPC

Completion Date: May 19, 2006

Objective 8:

Enhance the capacity of local WIC Programs to promote and support breastfeeding.

Tactics:

• Sponsor Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) training program for local WIC staff.

Lead Program and Staff: DPH, Local WIC agencies

Completion Date: October 26, 2006

Tactics:

• Provide continuing education for CLCs.

Completion Date: October 26, 2006

Tactics:

• Seek funding to expand breastfeeding peer counseling program.

Completion Date: Ongoing

Objective 9:

Increase knowledge and skills needed to choose healthy foods after completion of Food Stamp Nutrition Education activities.

Tactics:

• Continue the FSNE "Food Stamps Connection" project that includes 3 interactive programs and a website.

• Conduct group classes

• Provide interactive displays through out community.

• Conduct facilitated discussions for parents.

• Provide information via the Foodlinks website.

• Conduct activities at food sites, shelters, farmers markets, mobile food pantries and community centers.

• Distribute information packets through established mechanisms based on community partnerships.

• Conduct individual and/or group prenatal nutrition, infant nutrition and breastfeeding education sessions

• Provide nutrition education to school children and adults Conduct 2 social marketing campaigns, one print and one radio psa's, to promote high-quality diets and obesity prevention Conduct small group workshops in the community and provide newsletters about nutrition and how to use food stamps to purchase healthy foods.

• Provide interactive eating experiences in classrooms, child care centers, etc. to teach and reinforce healthy eating habits.

Lead Program and Staff: University of Connecticut, DPH

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Last Updated: 05/21/2009