Colorado PTA
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Health, Wellness, and Safety (HWS)

Crisis and support lines for kids and families, ideas for healthier schools, and the Colorado PTA committee working on student health, wellness, and safety.

Call or text 988All crisis and support lines
A smiling girl in a T-shirt stretches on the floor of a sunny gym.

Crisis and support lines

Mental health support for kids and families.

On this page

Making the Connection

To achieve PTA’s mission to make every child’s potential a reality, we must be strong advocates for the whole child, including the child’s health and well-being. Healthy students are absent less often, experience fewer behavior problems, and have an easier time learning. Research shows a strong connection between healthy behaviors and academic achievement – including grades, standardized tests, and graduation rates.

Read the CDC research on health and academic achievement (opens in a new tab)

Join the Healthy School Movement

Schools across Colorado are forming health and wellness teams, focusing on creating healthy schools and promoting healthy lifestyles. PTA support and leadership can help these teams be successful. Each school has a unique culture and, depending on their community’s needs, may have different areas of emphasis, such as the following:

  • Healthy school nutrition programs
  • Mental health and suicide prevention initiatives
  • Social emotional health and equity education opportunities
  • Access to opportunities for play, physical education, and movement in the classroom
  • School security initiatives, safety education programs, crisis prevention and response
  • Vaping, nicotine, marijuana, and other substance misuse prevention
  • Safe and healthy use of digital media and technology
  • Climate advocacy and action, sustainable energy, and healthy earth programs
  • Immunizations and communicable diseases prevention
  • Healthy school celebrations, family events, and non-food rewards
  • Healthy fundraisers
  • Healthy snack programs

COPTA Health, Wellness, and Safety Committee

Colorado PTA’s Health, Wellness, and Safety (HWS) Committee advocates for youth and families and provides resources to support a healthy school environment and foster health, wellness, safety, and equity for students and families across the state. The committee promotes a whole child strategy using the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model recommended by the Colorado Department of Education and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The framework uses an integrated, collaborative approach to address barriers and supports related to health and learning.

See the committee page for its goals and how to join

Take Action and HWS Resources

Ideas to help your PTA get started, and organizations and info sheets for families and schools.

Take ActionHWS Resources

Vaccine Information

Immunize Colorado (opens in a new tab)

Immunize Colorado works to make vaccines accessible to all—no matter your income, where you live or what your insurance status is. Check out their fact sheets and information on no-cost or low-cost vaccines.

Get Involved

National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools.

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