Arizona Child Care Health Consultant Support Center

NAP-SACC Training Coming to Arizona

NAP-SACC Training
September 30th, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Download application
Flinn Foundation Education Conference Center
1802 N. Central Ave
Phoenix, Arizona 85004

NAP-SACC or Nutrition and Physical Activity Self Assessment for Child Care is an intervention designed to promote healthy weights in young children. This program was designed specifically for use in Child Care Centers and designed specifically to be implemented by Child Care Health Consultants (CCHCs). It is an intervention which targets both social and environmental factors affecting the formation of healthy weights in young children. Very few other programs target the preschool audience or are designed with child care in mind. NAP-SACC seeks to bring about gradual, but sustained improvements in child care.

Why is NAP-SACC an important tool for Child Care Health Consultants? With rising concern about childhood obesity it has become clear that we need to start early, teaching children to eat properly and teaching them physical skills that will propel them into a lifetime of being physical activity. Unlike many programs which target only nutrition or only physical activity, NAP-SACC addresses both the nutritional aspects and physical activity concerns in healthy weight formation. The preschool years are a crucial time to form these important health habits which can have long-term effects on a young child’s life.

The NAP-SACC Program was developed and piloted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and the Division of Public Health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. This program is now spreading across the United States.

NAP-SACC addresses the nutritional quality of food served, amount and quality of physical activity, relationships between staff and children, nutrition and physical activity policies and practices with in the Center and other related environmental concerns. There are 5 steps to the NAP-SACC program. The first is a brief self-assessment done by the Child Care Director or designated staff. Next is an action planning meeting between the CCHC and the Director to review and discuss the self- assessment tool and to determine areas in which the Director would like to focus quality improvement efforts. Steps, resources, and time frames are established in a collaborative manner to help the Director achieve her goals. During the technical assistance phase, the CCHC makes available tools (sample policies, educational materials) or provides other assistance to the Center staff in meeting their goals. She supports the necessary organizational changes during monthly contacts. The 4th step is continuing education provided to the Child Care Staff in a series of workshops conducted by the CCHC. The purpose of these workshops is to motivate, provide important information, and provide the staff with confidence to make changes at their Center and explain these changes to parents and children. The final step is for the Director and CCHC to reassess, reevaluate and repeat as needed.

NAP-SACC fits well with the quality improvement interventions presently going on in our state. NAP-SACC expands on ideas CCHCs are already introducing related to Arizona’s Empower Program. As part of NAP-SACC, CCHCs may provide assistance to Centers in writing policies which promote Family Style Meals and the Division of Responsibility, or that limits foods brought in from home or for celebrations. A CCHC may work to improve feeding practices at a Center or to eliminate sugar sweetened beverages within the Center. He or she may introduce Center staff to ways to incorporate more physical activity into the curriculum, or to work with Center staff to incorporate more vegetables or lower fat dairy products into the menu. There may be an opportunity to suggest relocating vending machines, or assist Center staff in finding nutrition education curriculum or finding preschool books and posters that promote physical activity. Ultimately, the CCHC will be guiding staff to establishing an environment which promotes healthy food and activity practices.

The NAP-SACC program includes prepared power-point workshop presentations, colorful hand-outs, parent information, and intervention forms. Whether a Center needs small or comprehensive quality improvements, the CCHC will have be better prepared to respond after NAP-SACC training. A statewide NAP-SACC training will be held in Phoenix on Thursday, September 30th. Christina McWilliams, MPH from the University of North Carolina will provide training on the program. Attendees will receive a NAP-SACC tool- kit, continuing education from the Arizona Public Health Association (R.N.s) and certification as a NAP-SACC consultant.

Contact Kathi Ford (Kathi.ford@pima.gov) or Diane Hiratsuka (Diane.hiratsuka@pima.gov) for more information or to reserve your spot. The NAP-SACC website provides more information at www.napsacc.org.


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Announcements & Events The CCHC Training series will take place both in Phoenix and in Tucson in Fall 2010. Contact Kathi Ford (Kathi.ford@pima.gov) for information about the Tucson training. See brochure and application. Contact Barbara Herber (barbaraherber@mail.maricopa.gov) for information about the Phoenix training. See brochure and application.

Child Health and Safety Radio Child Health and Safety Radio is part of BAM Radio Network, the largest education radio network in the world. BAM Radio Network offers programming from the nation's top education organizations and thought leaders, and reaches a wide audience of people committed to quality education. This link is provided by Dr. Charlotte Hendricks of Health Childcare Consultants Inc.