New thrust for the Cooperative Extension Service.

Imbued with the land-grant university philosophy of teaching, research, and outreach, the Cooperative Extension Service has developed an impressive delivery system of informal educational programs in home economics, youth development, and agriculture.’-‘ Much of the success of these programs is attributable to the flexibility of Extension in adapting to local needs and to its close adherence to the principle of involving the learners in program planning, as well as to the Extension delivery system itself which extends to every county in the nation. In addition, Extension has pioneered with methods and materials for teaching adults, has conducted research, and has emphasized evaluation of program efforts in order to increase its effectiveness in meeting human needs and in responding to changing concerns and conditions. Because health is a major problem facing rural people, Cooperative Extension Services in the states have been involved from their inception in certain aspects of family health. In recent years, some states have expanded their health education efforts by adding health education specialists to their staffs and by developing programs to increase knowledge of local health services, to teach sound personal health attitudes, and to foster the adoption of specific health practices. Concurrently, health-related organizations and agencies have encouraged Extension to become more active in health education and have solicited Extension’s support in various educational programs. Thus, for example, in 1972 the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare awarded grants for special health education projects to four states: Wisconsin, Virginia, Maryland, and Missouri. In Arkansas, the Regional Medical Program financed an initial expansion of Extension’s involvement in health education, with support from the Arkansas Medical Society and the University of Arkansas Medical Center. More recently, the 4-H Foundation has been awarded a planning grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to develop health education programs involving youth through Extension. With Extension’s growing involvement in health education, and because of its basic interest in helping people to improve their health