Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC), 2021-2026

CHSC establishes and supports sustainable healthy communities as places where it is easier to practice healthy behaviors. Grantees work within high-need communities, engage a variety of partners and decision-makers, and develop and execute a comprehensive implementation plan in local catchment areas including cities, towns, reservations, and neighborhoods. The Department of Health (DOH) has defined five regions (Western, Central, Capital, Metropolitan Area, and New York City) and identified eligible communities in these regions. Communities are eligible when 40% or more of their population is not non-Hispanic White and/or where the percent of people living in high-need block groups is above the regional mean. High-need block groups were identified by the Area Deprivation Index, which uses 17 indicators for education, employment, housing quality, and poverty (data source: American Community Survey, 2009-2013).

Grant goals include:

  • Implementing food service guidelines (FSGs) with worksites (e.g., hospitals, universities/colleges, private workplaces, and state, local and tribal government facilities), and community settings (e.g., parks, stadiums, buildings/areas where community organizations meet), in multiple venues (e.g., cafeterias, cafés, grills, snack bars, concession stands, vending machines) to increase the availability of healthy foods. FSGs are specific food and nutrition standards and sustainability standards for food service operations that can be used to create a food environment that makes healthier choices easier for consumers.
  • Improving policies, practices, and environments for physical activity and nutrition in early care and education (ECE) settings [e.g. non-CACFP Child Care Centers, Day Care Homes (either CACFP or non-CACFP), and non-CACFP school-based three-year old pre-kindergarten and pre-kindergarten programs].
  • Implementing community planning and active transportation (Connecting Activity-Friendly Routes to Everyday Destinations) interventions in municipalities to increase safe and accessible physical activity. This is accomplished through collaboration with partners to connect sidewalks, paths, bicycle routes, and public transit with homes, early care and education sites, schools, worksites, parks, or recreation centers by implementing master plans and land use interventions or Complete Streets policies or plans. This is achieved by establishing new or improved pedestrian, bicycle, or transit transportation systems (i.e., Activity-Friendly Routes) that are combined with new or improved land use or environmental design (i.e., Connecting Everyday Destinations).
  • Implementing components of Local School Wellness Policies for Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs and a Healthy Nutrition Environment as found in the CDC Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model.

Creating Healthy Schools and Communities Program Reports

Creating Healthy Schools and Communities Success Stories

Find a Local Grantee in Your Community

To find a local grantee in your community see the Creating Healthy Schools and Communities Grantee List.

Region Grantee Communities Funded Amount
Statewide JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc.
Capital Capital Roots, Inc. Albany, Watervliet, Cohoes, Mechanicville $305,000
Clinton County Health Department Altona, Au Sable, Clinton, Black Brook, Champlain, Chazy, Dannemora, Ellenburg, Mooers, Town of Plattsburgh, City of Plattsburgh, & Saranac $305,000
Glens Falls Hospital Johnsburgh, Chester, Warrensburg, Glens Falls, Fort Edward, Kingsbury, Fort Ann, Whitehall, Granville, Corinth $305,000
North Country Healthy Heart Network, Inc. Bangor, Bellmont, Brandon, Bombay, Brighton, Burke, Chateaugay, Constable, Dickinson, Fort Covington, Malone, Moira, St. Regis Mohawk Reservation, Tupper Lake, Waverly, Westville $305,000
St. Peter’s Health Partners Troy, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Amsterdam $305,000
Central County of Broome Binghamton, Barker, Lisle, Conklin, Maine, Nanticoke, Sanford, Triangle and Windsor, Barton, Berkshire, Candor, Newark Valley, Richford, Spencer, Tioga. $305,000
Onondaga County Health Department Syracuse, Van Buren, Baldwinsville, Onondaga Nation $305,000
St. Lawrence County Health Initiative, Inc. Brasher, Canton, Clifton, Colton, DeKalb, DePeyster, Edwards, Fine, Fowler, Gouverneur, Hammond, Hermon, Hopkinton, Lawrence, Lisbon, Louisville, Macomb, Madrid, Massena, Morristown, Norfolk, Ogdensburg City, Oswegatchie, Parishville, Pierrepont. Pitcairn, Rossie, Russell, Stockholm $305,000
MARO Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County Liberty, Fallsburg, Bethel, Thompson, Mamakating $305,000
City of Kingston Kingston, Ulster, Plattekill, Wawarsing $305,000
Orange County Department of Health Middletown, Newburgh, Port Jervis, Deerpark, Highlands, Mount Hope, New Windsor, Wallkill $305,000
Rockland County Department of Health Haverstraw $305,000
Western Suffolk BOCES Hempstead $305,000
Western Suffolk BOCES Islip $305,000
Western Suffolk BOCES Babylon $305,000
NYC New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene Brooklyn, East New York, East New York (Pennsylvania Ave), Brownsville, Starrett City $305,000
New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene East and Central Harlem, Manhattan, East Harlem North, East Harlem South, Central Harlem North-Polo Grounds, Central Harlem South $305,000
The Institute for Family Health Bronx, Allerton-Pelham Gardens, Bedford Park-Fordham North, Crotona Park East, East Concourse-Concourse Village, East Tremont, Fordham South, Hunts Point, Kingsbridge Heights, Longwood, Melrose South-Mott Haven North, Morrisania-Melrose, Mott Haven-Port Morris, Parkchester, Pelham Parkway, Soundview-Bruckner, Soundview-Castle Hill-Clason, Point-Harding Park, University Heights-Morris Heights, Van Cortlandt Village, West Concourse $305,000
Western Chautauqua County Health Network, Inc. Dunkirk, Ripley, Harmony, North Harmony, Clymer, Carroll, Poland $305,000
Seneca County Junius, Ovid, Lodi, Romulus, Seneca Falls, Tyre, Waterloo $305,000
Erie 1 Board of Cooperative Educational Services Lackawanna, Cheektowaga $305,000
Erie 1 Board of Cooperative Educational Services Cattaraugus, Allegany and Erie Counties (37 communities) $305,000
Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency dba Common Ground Health Rochester, Gates $305,000
Genesee, Livingston, Steuben, Wyoming BOCES Batavia, Stafford, Pavilion, Covington, Perry, Warsaw, Leicester, Mt. Morris, North Dansville, Dansville $305,000
Wayne County Action Program, Inc. Arcadia, Lyons, Sodus $305,000