Saluting Our Health Education Partners

Health education is a core component of the Epilepsy Foundation’s mission. This week, during National Health Education Week, we salute our valuable partners in that mission. 

Through a five-year cooperative agreement, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has helped the Foundation develop and implement a variety of programs for people with epilepsy, their families, and health professionals. Those programs, many implemented by our network of local Epilepsy Foundations, include epilepsy education and seizure first aid for school nurses and other school personnel, first responders, law enforcement, and senior caregivers.

Other programs provide support and improve public awareness among specific communities, including youth, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanic Americans. The CDC has also played an integral role in setting high standards for our programs by providing accreditation for the training the Foundation offers. Participants can receive continuing education credits for attending any of our accredited programs.

In addition to our partnership with CDC, the Force for Health Foundation is a new partner that is helping the Epilepsy Foundation bring programs for youth into the 21st century. Through innovative apps and easy to use online materials, Force for Health is helping us spearhead unique program designs for youth.

Some of our other partners include organizations such as the American School Health Association, the National School Nurses Association, and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, which support our school professionals and first responders training programs. The Foundation also works with universities and organizations in the Managing Epilepsy Well Network to develop, pilot, and provide information on self-management strategies to people with epilepsy and their families.

There are many more partners we would like to thank, but we cannot list them all here. We are grateful to each and every one for their support and dedication to the epilepsy community!