CATCH Program

CATCH Program is a wellness wraparound service that addresses the “body” in our mission statement – “body, mind, heart and spirit.” And a healthy body contributes to every aspect of overall health.

CATCH stands for Coordinated Approach to Child Health. It is a program with a more than 25-year track record that was developed at the University of Texas to fight childhood obesity and diabetes, both issues that are problematic in our student population.

The “C” in CATCH, “Coordinated” means the program is part of the child’s whole environment. Home, school, all staff and guardians receive the same tools to boost child activity and improved child nutrition.

The well-resourced, low-cost program provides materials for all touchpoints in the community: faculty, health care providers, dining hall, Rec Center, parents and guardians.

CATCH’s core nutritional message helps students know which foods are Go, Slow or Whoa. Go foods can be enjoyed without concern. Slow foods require that a person watches the number of servings and portion size. Whoa foods are those that are consumed in moderation. Special posters and refrigerator magnets around campus and sent home to parents and guardians list the foods by category making it easy to follow the plan.