How Your Health & Safety Committee Can Help

You may be wondering what the purpose of a Health & Safety Committee is.  The Committee’s goals are to reduce risky behaviors and increase good health among all of Virginia’s children by promoting concepts of safety prevention and health wellness among PTAs, and effect laws and regulations to insure the health and safety of Virginia’s children and communities. 

The scope of the committee’s work includes, but is not limited to issues dealing with childhood obesity, physical activity, healthy lifestyles, food allergies, environmental protection, violent games and videos, gang activity, juvenile crime and justice, truancy, risky relationships, homelessness, runaways, missing and exploited children, conflict resolution, childhood accident prevention, substance abuse, and teenage drivers as they pertain to your grade levels.  This is accomplished through training and resources provided through local units as well as County Council and State PTA. 

Here is an outline of how our State PTA works in collaboration with Chesterfield County Council and Local Unit PTAs on educating and providing programs for their communities:

State Committee Focus

• Encourage local units and councils to have functioning Health and Safety Committees, and to provide them with the information and resources needed to get started and to operate at their fullest potential
• Provide training to local units on PTA sponsored programs dealing with current Health and Safety issues
• Encourage councils, local units, and individuals to be involved in the PTA legislative process in the area of Health and Safety 
• Seek funds (grants and/or business partnerships) for local unit school health projects
• Represent Virginia PTA on coalitions and organizations regarding healthy and safety issues 
• Speak for PTA at public hearings in regards to children and adolescent health and safety issues
• Work in cooperation with other Virginia PTA committees on related health risks and safety issues 
• Administer the Family Fitness Grant Program, when funds are available.

County Council Committee Focus

• Encourage local units to have functioning Health and Safety Committees, and to provide them with the information and resources needed to get started and to operate at their fullest potential
• Keeps membership aware of current issues regarding the health of children
• Informs membership of any changes or additions to the immunization of children
• Provides program ideas and information addressing health and safety issues among youth
• Encourages physical fitness and healthy eating among student and school staff members
• Encourages parents to make their voices heard on concerns regarding school safety and the implementation of safe school plans within all public schools
• Utilize the legislation program to remain up to date with current health and safety issues,  communicate changes and work with the community to promote change through the PTA’s legislative process
• Become focused on health issues such as Childhood Obesity, Physical Fitness, Environment, Clean Air, Immunization, Vision Screenings, Tobacco, Second Hand Smoke, Alcohol and School Nursing
• Become focused on safety issues such as Violence, Violent Videos, Gangs, truancy, risky relationships, homelessness, runaways, missing, bus safety, childhood accident prevention, substance abuse, and teenage drivers. 

Local Unit Focus

• Establish a Health and Safety Committee that will provide programs that meet the needs of their community
• The committee should encourage membership from parents, local business persons, and school administration, teachers, clergy, and health care professionals. The committee should submit a written evaluation of their program
• Perform a survey of community to assess the type of programs and initiatives that will best serve its constituency, provides communication, information, and programs for its community
• Utilize the legislation program to remain up to date with current health and safety issues by working with the community and/or individuals to promote change through the PTA’s legislative process
• Become focused on health issues such as Childhood Obesity, Physical Fitness, Environment, Clean Air, Immunization, Vision Screenings, Tobacco, Second Hand Smoke, Alcohol, and School Nursing.
• Become focused on safety issues such as Violence, Violent Videos, Gangs, truancy, risky relationships, homelessness, runaways, missing, bus safety, childhood accident prevention, substance abuse, and teenage drivers.

If you do not currently have a Health & Safety Committee within your local PTA unit and would like to learn how to get started, please contact Maria Cox, Chesterfield County Council of PTAs/PTSAs Health & Safety Committee Chair at healthandsafety@cccptas.com or contact your Virginia State PTA Health & Safety Committee Chair, Michelle Prescott at healthandsafety@vapta.org.