thrive is Rhode Island’s Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP) developed in 1994 with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), designed to prevent serious health problems and to improve educational outcomes. According to the CDC, schools by themselves cannot—and should not be expected to—address the nation's most serious health and social problems. For this reason, the CDC developed the coordinated school health program model to help communities and schools work together to more effectively address health issues.

As partners in thrive, the Rhode Island Departments of Education and Health work to build infrastructure supports with state, school, and community partners to help create safe, healthy, and nurturing schools that reduce barriers to learning.

Aligned with RI’s Comprehensive Educational Strategies and Health Education Framework, thrive has also been successful in effecting legislative and regulatory changes, in developing and implementing policy as well as standards-based curriculum, instruction, and assessment, and in designing and providing professional development opportunities for school administrators, policy-makers, teachers, parents, students, and community organizations.

The fundamental principle of a coordinated school health program is inclusive of the expectations and premise that “. . . school success and academic achievement are built on a strong foundation of healthy students who learn in safe and caring school environments”.  The eight interactive components of the coordinated school health model include:

1.      Health Education;

2.      Physical Education;

3.      Health Services;

4.      Nutrition Services;

5.      Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services;

6.      School Environment (Physical School Environment and Social School Environment)

7.      Health Promotion for Staff; and

8.      Family and Community Involvement.

In addition, thrive focuses on the following priority health issues:

1.      Nutrition;

2.      Physical Activity;

3.      Tobacco;

4.      HIV/AIDS & Sexuality;

5.      Food Safety; and

6.      Mental Health.