ETR Selected to Launch National Technical Assistance and Professional Development Center for School-Based Adolescent Health and Well-Being
In partnership with the CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health, ETR continues to lead in school-based health and well-being with large investment into transforming school environments
Scotts Valley, CA – In a substantial investment in the health and well-being of students, the CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) has selected ETR | Education, Training, and Research to develop and launch the National Technical Assistance and Professional Development Center for School-Based Adolescent Health and Well-Being. This initiative is set to transform school environments by improving health education, connecting students to essential health services, and creating safer, more supportive school environments.
With over 40 years of experience in evaluation and school health, ETR will lead this initiative by providing high-quality, research-based professional development and technical assistance to CDC/DASH-funded education agencies. This model will leverage the skills and resources needed to strengthen the programs, services, and environments critical to promoting the health and well-being of young people including reducing sexual risk behaviors, experiences of violence, and substance use, and improving mental health for students.
“This is an opportunity to significantly impact the health and well-being of schools, which are anchor institutions in our communities. Schools ground us in the support of the dedicated educators, staff, and administrators who embrace our children and youth,” says Dr. Vignetta Charles, CEO of ETR. “They connect us with a broader ecosystem of parents, families, and local organizations working within and alongside schools. Most importantly, they plant the seeds of possibility for a better tomorrow.”
The National Technical Assistance and Professional Development Center for School-Based Adolescent Health and Well-Being will support education agencies in implementing the CDC’s What Works in Schools program, a proven approach to school-based health that focuses on three core strategies:
1. Improving health education
2. Connecting young people to the health services they need
3. Making school environments safer and more supportive
The Center will also provide technical assistance and professional development to school health partners within states that have adopted the CDC's Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model. This student-centered framework addresses health in schools and emphasizes the role of the community in supporting the school, the connections between health and academic achievement, and the importance of evidence-based school policies and practices.
Building on ETR's Youth Engagement Principles, the Center will form an Advisory Council, including youth advisors, education agency representatives, and subject matter experts. This council will co-create solutions, elevate youth voices, and advance equity through participatory approaches.
To receive ongoing updates on this initiative, sign up for the ETR Newsletter.
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Education, Training, and Research (ETR) is a non-profit committed to improving health and wellbeing for youth and communities by championing science. For over 40 years, ETR has been at the forefront of developing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating science-based services and resources to advance health and opportunities for young people, adults, and communities across the country. To learn more information about ETR, please visit www. etr.org.
