An introduction to the Connecticut WSCC Partnership and its first year of collaboration with the East Hartford Public Schools.
Nutrition
UConn Today
Rudd Center’s Marlene Schwartz Featured on Panel about Food Insecurity in Connecticut – November 25, 2024
UConn Today
UConn Husky Nutrition & Sport Receives $4.9M in Federal Funding – November 4, 2024
WSCC Practice Briefs
Our 10 WSCC Practice briefs focus on each domain within the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model and identify evidence-based strategies that schools can use to promote WSCC implementation in their own setting. Strategies are organized by resource demand (i.e., low, medium, and high).
WSCC Blueprints
The WSCC Blueprints guide planning efforts around the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model. They are geared to school teams interested in the successful implementation and sustainment of Whole Child policy and practice initiatives, with a particular focus on the need for coordination and integration of efforts.
Reducing Weight Stigma: How Families can Engage in Supportive Communication with Youth of All Body Sizes
A Rudd/CSCH Brief by Rebecca Puhl
UConn Today
UConn Partnership with East Hartford Public Schools Celebrates First Year – May 23, 2024
UConn Today
Connecticut Office of Early Childhood Awards $10 Million to HDFS Project – May 15, 2024
Affiliate Profile: Kim Gans
Background Kim Gans, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences at UConn whose research primarily focuses on community-based interventions geared to reduce food insecurity, improve nutrition, physical activity, and prevent obesity
UConn Today
Great Expectations vs Reality of Food Healthiness in Online Grocery Shopping – October 2, 2023
UConn Today
UConn Centers Offer Free Professional Development to Local School Wellness Teams – September 13, 2023
UConn Today
UConn Researchers Awarded $1 Million to Research COVID-19’s Impact on Children’s Health – August 18, 2023
UConn Today
UConn Faculty Awarded $2M in Federal Funding to Support School Wellness in CT – June 16, 2023
CSCH and Rudd Center Receive Federal Funding to Support Comprehensive School Wellness
CSCH and the UConn Rudd Center have jointly received CDC funding to protect and improve the health and well-being of school-age children and adolescents
The WSCC Blueprints: Guides for Implementing Practices and Policies Aligned with the WSCC Model
A CSCH Brief by Kathleen M. Williamson, Jessica B. Koslouski, Helene M. Marcy & Sandra M. Chafouleas
Connecticut Public Radio
Providing healthy and free school lunches for all – February 21, 2023
UConn Today
Community Researcher Examines North Hartford Health Disparities – February 16, 2023
CT Mirror
Providing school meals for all is a win for CT families – February 13, 2023
NPR
Junk food abounds on YouTube videos for kids – February 9, 2023
Episode 18: The WSCC Blueprints – helping schools integrate health and learning
CSCH Postdoctoral Scholars Jessica Koslouski and Kathleen Williamson describe the CSCH WSCC Blueprint tools geared to helping schools implement the WSCC model.
UConn Today
Helping Schools Put ‘Whole Child’ into Policy and Practice – September 20, 2022
UConn Today
Rudd Center’s Puhl Featured on Panel Addressing Weight Stigma in the Media – July 7, 2022
UConn Today
Can Food Taxes and Subsidies Help Improve Health Outcomes? – June 23, 2022
The Conversation
Changes are coming to school meals nationwide – an expert in food policy explains – June 7, 2022
How do School Policies Align with the WSCC Model? A Connecticut Evaluation
A CSCH Brief by Helene M. Marcy, Sandra M. Chafouleas, Marlene B. Schwartz, and Sarah L. McKee
NBC Connecticut
Free School Lunch Program Coming to an End – April 15, 2022
Food Navigator
Do current advertising rules for children’s products go far enough to protect their health? – April 5, 2022
UConn Today
New Report Reveals Industry-Led Initiative Fails to Protect Kids from Marketing of Unhealthy Foods and Beverages – April 5, 2022
Q & A on the Human Rights of Children
We recently interviewed Richard Hiskes about his thoughts on the human rights of children for a CSCH Podcast Episode.
Episode 14: Do Children Have Human Rights?
CSCH Co-Director Sandra Chafouleas interviews UConn Professor Emeritus Richard Hiskes about his thoughts on the human rights of children.
The Conversation
Schools will stop serving free lunch to all students – a pandemic solution left out of a new federal spending package – March 14, 2022
The UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health
Learn about CSCH and what we’ve accomplished so far. 
WBEZ Chicago
New bill aims to improve meals in Illinois schools – March 8, 2022
The Hour
CT child care centers lost out on $30M in federal food funding – December 24, 2021
UConn Today
Study: USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program Underused By Connecticut Child Care Centers – December 6, 2021
Q & A on the Healthy Family CT Project
CSCH recently asked CSCH Affiliate Valerie Duffy, Professor in the Department of Allied Health Sciences, to tell us about the Healthy Family Connecticut Project, which provides food and nutrition information for Connecticut families.
UConn Today
New Study Reveals Marketing Disproportionately Affects Purchases of Sweetened Children’s Drinks by Households with Low Incomes – October 26, 2021
Affiliate Profile: Valerie Duffy
Background Valerie Duffy, PhD is a registered dietitian, Professor, and Director of the Graduate Program in Health Promotion Sciences, the Department of Allied Health Sciences
WSCC Resources for Schools
CSCH is pleased to announce its NEW Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model (WSCC) resources for schools
WellSAT WSCC: A Comprehensive Tool for Evaluating School Wellness Policies
A CSCH Brief by Breanna McFarlane, Sandra M. Chafouleas, Marlene B. Schwartz, Helene M. Marcy, Jessica Koslouski, and Emily Iovino
Back to School Resources: Aligning Guidance with the WSCC Model, V3
A CSCH Crosswalk written by Emily A. Iovino, Sandra M. Chafouleas, and Hanna Y. Perry
UConn Today
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Sugary Drink Consumption Exacerbated by Exposure to Neighborhood Fast Food and Convenience Stores – August 6, 2021
UConn Today
Adolescents Report Increase in Weight Stigma on Social Media during COVID-19 Pandemic – July 28, 2021
Food Navigator-USA
Study Reveals ‘Major Limitations’ to Fast-food Industry Self Regulation of Advertising to Children – June 22, 2021
U.S. News & World Report
Fast-Food Companies Spending More on Ads Aimed at Youth – June 17, 2021
UConn Today
Color-coded Nutrition Info Helps Food Pantry Clients Choose Healthier Options – May 25, 2021
CT Post
Can gut health fight COVID? UConn researchers examine the link – May 24, 2021
UConn Today
Parents Confused about Healthier Drinks for Kids Not Helped by Labeling of Fruit Drinks, Flavored Water and Unsweetened Juice – April 8, 2021
Food Dive
Fruit drink labeling is confusing to many parents, study finds – April 8, 2021
Systems Synergy: How Reducing Poverty Can Prevent Child Neglect
A CSCH Brief by Kerri M. Raissian, Megan Feely and Helene M. Marcy
UConn Today
Helping Change Health Behaviors with the Click of a Button – March 29, 2021
UConn Today
Rudd Center’s Schwartz Helps Develop Toolkit For Food Banks – March 23, 2021
The Conversation
How Connecticut’s schools have managed to maintain lunch distribution for kids who need it most during the COVID-19 pandemic – February 2, 2021
UConn Today
Onset of COVID Pandemic Significantly Threatened CT School Meal Programs – January 28, 2021
UConn Today
Food Pantries Use Nutrition Information to Increase Healthy Food Orders – January 7, 2021
UConn Today
Concerns About Child’s Weight Increase Risk for Family Weight Teasing – November 9, 2020
Connecticut School Administrator Perspectives on Shifting Priorities During COVID-19
A CSCH Brief by Sandra M. Chafouleas, Emily A. Iovino, Marlene B. Schwartz, & Helene M. Marcy
UConn Today
Barriers in Food Access Contribute to Inequitable Risks of Obesity and Food Insecurity Among Food Pantry Clients – October 21, 2020
Affiliate Profile: Maria LaRusso
Background Maria LaRusso, EdD is an Assistant Professor in UConn’s Department of Human Development and Family Sciences. Her primary research concerns how children’s growth and well-being is shaped by relationships and supports across different contexts
UConn Today
Weight Stigma Predicts Emotional Distress and Binge Eating During COVID-19 – September 10, 2020
UConn Today
A Spillover Effect: Medicaid Expansion Leads to Healthier Dietary Choices – September 8, 2020
UConn Today
Rudd Center: Beverage Companies Spent More than $1 Billion in Advertising for Sugary Drinks and Energy Drinks in 2018 – June 23, 2020
Neag Foundation Provides CSCH with Two-year Grant
The Neag Foundation has provided the UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health with a two-year grant to facilitate work in the Think about the Link Project
UConn Today
School Wellness Policies Key to Ensuring New York Schools Adopt Healthier Nutrition and Exercise Standards – May 7, 2020
The Daily Campus
Research Spotlight: Looking at food policy with UConn’s Rudd Center – April 28, 2020
The Atlantic
The Ominous Rise of Toddler Milk – February 4, 2020
Food Navigator – USA
Experts urge industry to work with schools to improve kids’ meals even as standards are rolled back – January 14, 2020
UConn Today
Healthier School Meals Are Evidence of the Success of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act – January 14, 2020
Scientific American
The War on Childhood Obesity Needs a War on Blame – November 22, 2019
WellSAT WSCC 2.0
The WellSAT WSCC is a school policy evaluation tool aligned with the Whole School, Whole Community, and Whole Child (WSCC) model that builds on the history of the WellSAT, which is an evaluation tool for evaluation of school wellness policy.
Migrant Children’s Rights to Health and Rehabilitation
A CSCH Brief written by Megan Berthold and Kathryn Libal
New York Times
How Children Get Hooked on Sugary Drinks – October 22, 2019
UConn Today
Ample Ads and Confusing Labels Drive Children’s Sweetened Drink Sales – October 16, 2019
Episode 2: What is the WellSAT WSCC?
CSCH Co-Director Sandra Chafouleas and CSCH Steering Committee Member Marlene Schwartz discuss their work developing the WellSAT WSCC Tool.
Introducing the WellSAT WSCC Tool
The UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health and the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity are pleased to announce the release of the WellSAT WSCC, a comprehensive school policy evaluation tool aligned with the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model.
The CT Mirror
School food service, another divide between rich and poor – September 12, 2019
NPR
Praise, Don’t Tease, And Other Tips To Help Kids With Their Weight – August 25, 2019
Connecticut Post
UConn study: Weight-related bullying leads to poor health outcomes for LGBTQ youth – June 2, 2019
Morning Ag Clips
When did GMO become a dirty word? – May 14, 2019
Thinking About the Link Between Health and Learning CSCH Video Series
Our video modules provide an overview of the WSCC Model and its ten domains:
WRVO
Climate change, hunger, obesity need collective solutions, according to new report – April 14, 2019
Popular Science
Taxing soda would help make kids healthier – March 26, 2019
CT Post
CT food pantries pushed to offer more nutritional items – March 13, 2019
U.S. News & World Report
Junk Food Ads Target Minority Kids: Study – January 15, 2019
U.S. News & World Report
Is Juice on School Menus a Problem? – December 26, 2018
UConn Today
At School Lunch, Healthier Options are Overlooked When Juice is Available – November 15, 2018
WSCC Toolkit
The WSCC Toolkit helps schools incorporate the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model into decision-making and the integration of health and learning. It includes tools like practice briefs and planning blueprints to guide work in the coordination of policies, processes, and practices relevant to school and child well-being.
UConn Today
Adding Context to ‘Breast is Best’ – October 3, 2018
UConn Today
More Kids are Eating Fast Food – and Not the Healthy Options – September 27, 2018
Public News Service
Consumer Food Decisions Can Cut Climate Pollution – July 23, 2018
New Haven Register
Pediatricians look for the best language to discuss weight with children – April 22, 2018
It Takes Two
CSCH Affiliate Ruth Lucas, PhD, discusses how breastfeeding takes effort on the part of both the baby and the mother 
WNPR – Colin McEnroe Show
‘The $12 Potato Chip – and Other Horrors – April 10, 2018
The Conversation
Will Holding the Cheese and Chocolate Milk on Happy Meals Make a Difference? – March 2, 2018
UConn Today
Healthy Drink Can Pack a Punch in Preschooler’s Lunch – February 22, 2018
Health Day
Think Little Kids are Safe from Food Ads? Think again – December 15, 2017
USA Today
Fast-food restaurants pledged to offer healthier options for kids. How have they done? – August 10, 2017
UConn Today
No Chocolate Milk? No Problem, Kids Get Used to Plain Milk – July 14, 2017
Announcement of CSCH Grant Awardees
CSCH is pleased to announce and congratulate the two awardees of our FY2017 seed grant competition. These grants provide funds to investigators to support projects that align with the vision of CSCH to promote an integrated approach to health and learning through collaborations across the components within the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC)… Read more
UConn Today
Parents Concerned About Unhealthy Food Marketing to Children – April 19, 2017
CBS News
Big money spent marketing unhealthy baby, toddler foods – November 1, 2016
The Wellness School Assessment Tool, WellSAT
With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Rudd Foundation, researchers at the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health developed WellSAT, which allows users to assess the quality of their school district’s written wellness policy.
Husky Sport
Funded by USDA SNAP-Ed, local foundations, AmeriCorps and private donations, Husky Sport is a sport based youth development program operating as a community-campus partnership between Hartford’s North End and UConn’s Neag School of Education. Husky Sport emphasizes nutritional education, physical activity, transferrable life skills, and academic enrichment with K-12 grade students both in school and… Read more
Nutrition Policies and Practices in Early Care and Education at the Rudd Center
Current Rudd Center projects funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Healthy Eating Research program include an evaluation of Community Eligibility Provision (of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act) effects on academic and health outcomes and an assessment of the updated Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meal patterns in child care centers. For more… Read more
Low Cost Portable Device for Breastfeeding Diagnostics
Dr. Ruth Lucas and Dr. Bin Feng have created a device that allows for measurement of an infants’ sucking microstructure during breast and bottle feeding in the home setting. A Connecticut Bioscience Pipeline Grant will allow researchers to test the device in home settings for reliability, tolerance and acceptance during feeding. For more information, contact… Read more
Think about the Link Project
Funded through the UConn OVPR’s Research Excellence Program, the Neag Foundation, and individual donors, this project facilitates school efforts in integrating health and learning. Schools can enhance their support systems by incorporating the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model in decision-making across academic, social, emotional, behavioral, and physical domains of functioning. Project materials… Read more
Forbes
Junk Food Makers Market Look-Alike ‘Smart Snacks’ In Schools To Mislead Kids, Study Claims – September 1, 2016
UConn Today
Look-alike ‘Smart Snacks’ Confuse Students, Parents – August 31, 2016
The Lunch Tray
Study: “Copycat Snacks” in Schools Confuse Parents and Kids – August 31, 2016
WNPR/CT Health I-Team
Fight Childhood Obesity In Preschools, Child Care Centers, New Report Says – March 22, 2016
NPR
2 Breakfasts May Be Better Than None For School Kids – March 17, 2016
The Washington Post
Kids who eat two breakfasts are less likely to be overweight than those who eat none – March 17, 2016