HHD staff have served as consultants and advisors to the World Health Organization (WHO) since 1991 and have authored numerous reports and publications for WHO on global school health issues. In 1998, HHD was designated as the WHO Collaborating Center to Promote Health Through Schools and Communities. The Center’s goal is to deliver services that strengthen the capacity of schools and communities worldwide to promote the healthy development of students, school personnel, families, and surrounding communities.
The Center’s accomplishments include the following:
Promoted WHO’s vision and the Global School Health Initiative (GSHI) concepts globally
Developed multiple WHO publications to disseminate evidence-based strategies and to foster advocacy
Delivered country-specific consultations and professional development seminars with partners in developing countries
Provided consultation on the formation of regional networks of member states to build their capacity to promote health through schools
Developed tools to assist decisionmakers to plan carefully and take systematic action for school health
Experimented with using the Internet to connect policymakers and practitioners to learn and share information and resources
