Healthy Alternatives for Little Ones (HALO) is a 12-unit holistic health and substance abuse prevention curriculum for children ages 3-6 in child care settings. HALO is designed to address risk and protective factors for substance abuse and other health behaviors by providing children with information on healthy choices. The program aims to help children understand the complexities of "health" and "healthy choices" by putting these abstract concepts into concrete terms they can understand. In HALO, health is defined as "growing bigger, stronger, and better able to think." The curriculum encourages healthy eating, exercise, and emotion recognition and educates children about the harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) on the body. HALO provides learning opportunities for children through teacher- led, developmentally appropriate, and fun hands-on activities that involve educational songs, videos, group activities, and books. Parental involvement is facilitated through introductory and unit-specific letters that encourage at-home discussion and the practice of identifying and making healthy choices.
Last reviewed: 2023
Intended Outcomes:
Through the HALO program, children:
- acquire a strengthened sense of self
- learn to say "no" to things that are harmful
- learn to recognize, label, and express feelings in appropriate ways
- practice communication skills
- obtain information about the harmful effects of tobacco and drugs
- learn safety precautions for medicines
- practice techniques to reduce stress
- increase acceptance of cultural diversity
Continuum of Care:
Selective Prevention
Topic Areas:
Behavioral Health/Mental Health, Physical Health, Substance Use
Ages:
Childhood (4-12), Early Childhood (0-3)
Geographic Locations:
Rural, Urban
Delivery Settings:
Community-Based, School-Based
Cultural Considerations:
No research found involving diverse populations
Audience:
This program is for children in child-care settings who are 3 to 6 years old and their parents.
Credentials:
This program is delivered by child-care providers.
Manuals:
Information not available
Is Training Required?
Information not available
Who can provide the required training?
Program Costs (materials, training, etc.):
Information not available
Program/Practice Website:
Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research:
Additional Sources:
https://www.continuum.militaryfamilies.psu.edu/program/fact_sheet_878
https://theathenaforum.org/sites/default/files/healthy_alternatives_for_little_ones_4-21-12.pdf
http://www.pcctf.org/h.a.l.o.html
WV Rating:
Unable to Be Rated
»WV Ratings Info
Rationale for Rating:
Reviewers were unable to find published research for this program. While one website referenced a quasi-experimental study, reviewers were unable to locate the research article. If research becomes accessible, this program can be reviewed.
Contraindications or Concerns:
None identified
Other Registries/Ratings
The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare:
Not On Registry
Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development:
Not On Registry
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness:
Unclear 0
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Model Programs Guide:
Not On Registry
Washington State Institute for Public Policy:
Not On Registry