Healthy Lifestyles

Healthy Lifestyles is a health promotion program, originally developed by and for people with disabilities, that takes a holistic approach to health. This program has evolved over time and is effective in helping both people with disabilities and those who support them adopt healthy behaviors and improve their quality of life. A Health Lifestyle Curriculum or Leader's Guide is used to conduct Healthy Lifestyles workshops that provide workshop participants with the information, tools, and skills they need to build confidence and continue on a journey towards a healthy, independent, and happy lifestyle. 

The Healthy Lifestyles Program offers both an adult and youth version of the Healthy Lifestyles curriculum/Leader's Guide.

Program Components

  • Adult Curriculum or Leader's Guide
  • Young Adult Curriculum or Leader's Guide
  • Train-the-Leader
  • Workshop
  • It is scripted, making it user-friendly and easy to implement.
  • It includes clear preparation and implementation instructions.
  • It is universal and inclusive, benefiting both people with disabilities and those without.
  • It can be delivered using a schedule that best meets the needs of trainers and participants (e.g., the curriculum can be delivered over three days or it can be integrated into other programs and activities over the course of several weeks or months). 
  • The training is interactive and includes activities.
  • It is scripted, making it user-friendly and easy to implement.
  • It includes clear preparation and implementation instructions.
  • It helps young adults learn tools to help with independence and self-advocacy by using skill building activities as well as small and large group discussions.
  • It is universal and inclusive, benefiting both people with disabilities and those without.
  • It can be delivered using a schedule that best meets the needs of trainers and participants (e.g., the curriculum can be delivered over three days or it can be integrated into other programs and activities over the course of several weeks or months). 
  • Designed to be interactive and to meet the learning needs of young adults with activities, pictorial handouts and small and large group discussions.

View:   Your Health, Your Choice Summary of Sessions - PDF

Become a Certified Leader

To implement the Healthy Lifestyles curriculum, interested parties must be certified as a "Lead Healthy Lifestyles Leader" by attending a Train-the-Leader event. These trainings are delivered in a format similar to the Healthy Lifestyles workshop, in order to give trainees a firsthand, experiential feel for how the workshop is administered. Trainees gain an in-depth understanding of the program's philosophy, curriculum and supplemental materials.  

Who can become a certified leader? 

You can if you meet the following qualifications:

  • Have a disability or have experience, knowledge, or a family member with a disability or
  • Are an individual with or without affiliation with a disability agency, state or local health department, community center, or a senior center and
  • Have attended and satisfactorily completed the Training program and
  • Plan to conduct a Healthy Lifestyles workshop and support groups in the next 12 months

How can I become a Certified Leader?

There are three options to become a Certified Lead Trainer by completing the Healthy Lifestyles Training program - out-of-state, in-state, and online:

Out-of-State 

Two master trainers will travel to your out-of-state location and provide an in-depth, 3-day training on the HL program for up to 25 individuals. In some instances we offer a 2-day training.The training is delivered in a format similar to an actual Healthy Lifestyles workshop, but with additional time for debriefing and discussion. This approach has proven to be very successful because it replicates the 'feel' of an actual workshop.

Expenses include:

  • transportation, lodging, meal per diem, and stipend for the Master Trainers
  • catering for the event (if applicable)
  • a Healthy Lifestyles curriculum for trainees
  • other supplemental supplies.

Costs can vary depending on location and number of trainees, but typically costs between $6,000 and $7,000. A more detailed budget is available upon request. 

In-State 

Twice a year we conduct a three-day training in Oregon which is conducted by two master trainers. The train-the-trainer event is delivered in the same way as mentioned above for the out-of-state training. There is a limit to the number of out of state individuals who can attend and participation is on a first come, first serve basis. The cost of training is $300 per person. This includes instructional fee, the Healthy Lifestyles curriculum or trainer's guide, meals provided at the training, and all supplemental training materials. Training participants will have to make arrangements and pay for their travel, lodging and meals.

Online

Depending on demand, a master trainer conducts an 8-hour online Healthy Lifestyles train-the-trainer event. Attendance to all four, 2-hour sessions is mandatory for certification. The days and times of the training are dependent on the availability of the trainer and trainees. The cost of the training is $150 per person or $125 per person for an agency registering a minimum of 4 staff;and $100 per person for each additional staff person sponsored by the same agency. The cost of the curriculum is an extra $75 for printing and shipping. Curricula are purchased directly from a printer in Oregon. There is also the option to purchase supplemental materials to assist with the nutrition related activities for $50 (includes shipping).

Both the adult and youth versions of the Healthy Lifestyles for People workshop embodies the self-determination model and provides participants with the opportunity to develop friendships,  learn from one another and obtain the skills and tools they need to:

  1. Evaluate their current life situations;
  2. Identify areas in their lives they would like to improve; and
  3. Make positive changes in those areas.

The steps to achieving the workshop goals are laid out in four sessions. In sessions one and two, participants define a "healthy lifestyle" and identify values that are important to them. In session three, participants learn about the components of a healthy lifestyle and identify the areas that they would like to change in order to move towards a healthier lifestyle. Finally, in session four, participants learn how to make positive changes in these areas by using a goal-setting process.

The Healthy Lifestyles workshop has two components. First, the workshop  is delivered across three consecutive days (or in whatever format works  best for the sponsoring agency) and, secondly, six-months of 2-hour  follow-up support group meetings is offered. The support group meetings  allow participants to share their progress on their personal healthy  lifestyle goals, as well as resources, strategies and successes. They  also include presentations on topics that the participants have  expressed interest in (e.g. stress management, nutrition, Tai Chi).