A Coordinated Approach to Child Health: Preventing Childhood Obesity in Missoula County, Montana

Providence St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, Montana, is working with community stakeholders, including the Missoula City-County Health Department and school district, to spread CATCH, a Coordinated Approach to Child Health. CATCH is a school-based program that targets individual behavior change, school environment, classroom and physical education curricula, food services and family reinforcement. The program aims to help students identify healthy food choices and increase physical activity each day.

After piloting CATCH for two years and seeing solid results, community partners have expanded the program throughout the county and are collaborating with Missoula Food Bank, Missoula Parks and Recreation department and other local organizations and businesses. Providence St. Patrick Hospital has guided 10 school districts with CATCH implementation.