Wellness Wednesdays: Coming Soon....

     ACCESS Health will be presenting a wellness program for students starting in February during period ¾ study halls on Wednesdays. The time period may shift during the 4^th quarter. This program is designed to impart new, practical knowledge and skills to students in the area of health. The main focus will be on nutrition, physical activity, student advocacy, stress reduction, tobacco education and reducing substance abuse. ACCESS Health currently provides wellness programs in Freeport High School, Mt. Ararat and middle schools.

     The classes will be on a strictly volunteer basis and students may enroll for one or all of the programs. Students must be approved by their Guidance Counselor and sign up through their study hall teacher. Before attending any sessions students must turn in a parental consent form, this form can be downloaded from the school website or picked up in the main or nurse’s office.

Synopsis of the YAP Program

YAP: What is it?

YAP is an acronym for Youth Advocacy Program. We work with groups of youth working to make change (advocating) on health topics and issues they are passionate about.

Who came up with YAP?

The YAP program was designed by the State of Maine’s program: HMP, Healthy Maine Partnerships. There are 31 partnerships, including ACCESS Health.

What is ACCESS Health?

ACCESS Health is a community health coalition that began over 10 years ago to address health issues, particularly tobacco. Its lead agency (the organization that houses our office and supports us) is Mid Coast Hospital. We are registered as a Healthy Maine partnership with the State of Maine.

Who is the YAP Coordinator?

The YAP coordinator is hired by the ACCESS Health Coalition, Healthy Maine Partnerships and Mid Coast Hospital to facilitate and coordinate youth programs in the geographic area we cover. Our partnership works with schools, workplaces and communities from Freeport to Harpswell. The YAP coordinator also attends trainings and assists with large coalition projects and health fairs. This is a 30 hour a week grant-funded position.

What is the focus of the YAP program?

Our main focus is on youth empowerment, good nutrition, stress management, physical activity, and substance and tobacco prevention. Currently we offer Media Smart for the middle school level and wellness and advocacy opportunities for interested high school students/groups.