Early Ages Healthy Stages (EAHS)
Program Contacts
Alison Patrick
Supervisor
216.201.2001 ext 1513
apatrick@ccbh.net
Vision
All early care and education (ECE) programs in Cuyahoga County are healthy
Priority Population
Children ages up to five years-old in licensed Early Childhood Education programs and their families and caregivers
What is the problem we are working to address?
Young children spend an average of 32 hours a week in an ECE setting
Kindergarten readiness is not solely academic
Ohio is below the national average for addressing nutrition and physical activity in childcare programs
- 1 in 10 children ages 2-5 are affected by asthma
- 1 in 7 children ages 3-5 are affected by elevated blood pressure
- 1 in 4 of children ages 2-5 are affected by overweight or obesity
Why does it matter?
Early childhood educators, as the boots-on-the-ground subject matter experts, are a wealth of knowledge
Early childhood educators are the trusted resource for parents and families need to be better equipped to serve as that resource
Addressing health early in life helps young children be ready for their first day of kindergarten
What are the solutions?
Actively working with over 120 ECE programs to achieve the Ohio Healthy Program designation
Creating and implementing new initiatives that elevate the role of physical and mental health in early childhood
Advocating for the inclusion of health into early childhood rules, regulations, and standards to bridge the gap between health and education in early childhood
Breaking down barriers for families to access preventative care and routine childhood vaccines
For more information about Early Ages Healthy Stages and to get involved, please visit the EAHS website.
Click here to see a video overview of the program