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This section contains news items and press releases about the Task Force. If you have news you think is relevant to the Task Force and should be posted here, please contact us.

Policy Committee Updates

The California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness has experienced some great forward momentum this year.  We have forged new partnerships and presented our health and wellness information to numerous agencies and public forums.

Thanks to The California Endowment, the Task Force was able to host a series of legislative press events and luncheons throughout the Spring.

In February, the Task Force hosted a press event and healthy foods tasting at the State Capitol where we released the first Wellness Toolkit. Several hundred people attended including a large number of legislators. Our new Wellness Toolkit contains a copy of Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 90 (PDF) and an extensive resource list (PDF) of organizations with expertise in health and wellness fields. In addition, Senator Torlakson personally called on legislative members to participate in a community health and wellness study by completing a community assessment tool (PDF) provided by The Prevention Institute. This event not only provided important information and resources to legislative members, but also clearly demonstrated that healthier foods can certainly be tasty foods as well. Companies donating food samples included: Sensible Foods, IZZE Beverages, Dole Food Co., Masuya, and The FruitGuys.

In May and June, the Task Force continued its legislative information sessions with two luncheons at the State Capitol. The first luncheon focused on two grocery store bills that are before the legislature. A wealth of materials were made available and a variety of speakers presented information about access to fresh foods in underserved areas. Speakers included representatives from California Food Policy Advocates, Public Health Advocacy, the Statewide Youth Board on Obesity Prevention, and Policy Link.  . The second luncheon enlightened audiences about how the new physical education standards are supposed to be applied in K-12 schools. In addition, a high school student from Stockton, CA provided a fresh perspective on the effectiveness of his K-12 physical education classes.  Finally, attendees received a copy of the report recently released which stipulates the minimum amount of time required for physical education activities and compliance with those standards (PDF) by California K-12 schools. Presenters included Kathryn Scott, Physical Education Director, UC Berkeley; Amanda Purcell from Public Health Advocacy; and a member of the Statewide Youth Board on Obesity Prevention.  At both luncheons, members from both major political parties attended and contributed to the question and answer session.

 

School Committee Updates

The 2005-06 Superintendents’ Challenge award winners were announced on June 5, 2006. Seventeen school districts applied this year and three schools were awarded for their excellence in Wellness Policy development and/or implementation of these policies. [See our news advisory (PDF).] The winning districts were Kernville Union School District, Jefferson Union High School District, and Stanislaus Union School District.

The School Committee is currently discussing proposed revisions to the Superintendents’ Challenge to accommodate the increased number of schools statewide that will be starting their implementation process. To ensure a collaborative approach to implementation on school campuses, the School Committee is working closely with Project LEAN, California Action for Health Kids, and the Department of Education.

Workplace Committee Updates

The Workplace Committee is currently in the process of reviewing applications for the 2006 Fit Business award. The committee extended the deadline for applications until May 2006, which has pushed the announcement of winners to September 2006.