Lead Better Lives ∙ Be Work and Career Ready ∙ Build Strong Families ∙ Make Meaningful Contributions to Our Communities

Alabama Extension offers educational programs to help Alabamians be healthy, financially secure, and experience improved family relations. Our research-based information includes financial literacy; workforce development education; nutrition, diet, health, and wellness; and family and fatherhood relationships. These quality-of-life programs are offered in person and virtually, when possible. Our educational opportunities, most of which are free, build healthy people, strong families, and elevate communities. These efforts are affiliated with Human Sciences Extension in the College of Human Sciences at Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. For more information, email aceshse@auburn.edu.

Human Nutrition, Diet, and Health

Topic: Prevention of Chronic Disease

Diabetes Empowerment Education Program (DEEP) is essential for people with prediabetes, diabetes, and care providers to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to reduce complications resulting from diabetes. After six weekly lessons, you should better understand the importance of glucose self-monitoring, management of A1C levels, healthy meal planning, daily foot and skin care, and regular physical activity. Auburn University CEUs are available (8 contact hours).

Diabetes Empowerment Education Program (DEEP) Train-the-Trainer is an in-depth, three-day training for passionate community members who want to be trained in diabetes education and management. Upon completion, the trainer is a certified DEEP educator. As certified trainers, people can give back to their communities and work with people with prediabetes or diabetes and care providers. By extending the knowledge and skills necessary to reduce complications resulting from diabetes, the trainers provide a valuable service to members of their communities. Auburn University CEUs are available (2.0 CEUs or 20 contact hours).

Right Bite: Setting the Table for Healthy Eating is a fun way for adults and teens to discover how to make tasty changes to their diet and make easy changes to their physical activity. Right Bite can be taught as a single lesson, a two-lesson series, or as four individual lessons. Lessons can be customized with (1) being your best while eating on the run, (2) becoming a detective while reading the nutrition facts label, (3) filling your shopping cart with the wisest foods for the best deals, and (4) controlling blood pressure and managing heart disease.

Escape Vapes is a suite of programs for teens, parents, and adults and is designed to educate, prevent, and reduce the use of electronic cigarettes. The four-program offerings increase knowledge about the health risks of vaping and increase users’ confidence and ability to abstain. Programs available are (1) Escape Vapes: A Prevention Program, (2) Escape Vapes: Empowering Adults, (3) Escape Vapes: Healthy Futures, an Alternative to Suspension, and (4) NOT on Tobacco (N-O-T), a smoking cessation program.

Topic: Maternal, Infant, Child, and Health

Breast Feeding Friendly Child Care Certification Breastfed babies are healthy babies. To support breastfeeding families, child care providers can become certified through a multilevel program of education with policy and environmental changes. A 2-hour training gives providers the knowledge to encourage breastfeeding families; each attendee receives two professional development hours honored and endorsed by the Department of Human Resources. All child care providers may apply for this free, 2-year certification. Child care providers can get up to $1,000 from a grant to make a little corner of their facility a breastfeeding-friendly location. Funding can purchase a comfortable chair, room dividers, side table, refrigerator, and other needed items.

Go NAPSACC Child Nutrition is a professional, 1-hour development opportunity offering child care providers knowledge and skills to improve menu options while also implementing policy and environmental changes to instill healthy habits in Alabama’s children. Child care providers will use the nationally recognized GO NAPSACC assessment process to identify and achieve evidenced-based best practices.

Color Me Healthy is an exciting media of color, music, and exploration of the senses to teach children to make wise food choices and that physical activity can be fun. The education stimulates all senses of young children ages 4 and 5: touch, smell, sight, sound, and taste. This high-energy education is a favorite of young children.

Financial Resource Management

Topic: Financial Literacy

Money Smart for Adults provides must-have strategies to help adults successfully manage personal finances. Information includes spending plans, credit, savings, identity theft/ scams, and banking. This course can be taught as a four- or five-program series or as single lessons.

Alabama FAST (FAFSA Application Survival Toolkit) supports high school students and families in making informed choices about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The program is facilitated in partnership with local high school career coaches and counselors. It is endorsed by the Alabama Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education. Schools are invited to enroll by the summer for workshops during the upcoming academic school year.

Money WISE 101 is a one-hour workshop that supplements the Weekly Income, Saving & Expenses (WISE) Money Management Calendar. Participants learn to (1) track expenses and income, (2) develop a personal money plan (budget), (3) manage their plan, and (4) adjust for planned and unexpected expenses. The accompanying WISE Money Management Calendar is redesigned offering a more user-friendly format and new worksheets.

iCare Kids educates, enables, and empowers youth ages 8–11 to use their creativity, goals, and resources to develop and realize their full leadership potential. The five lessons are taught in a series and include sections on dreams, goals, money smarts, philanthropy, and legacy.

Family and Child Development Digital and In-Person Parenting Education

Just in Time Parenting Newsletter Visit JITP.info to view or download 40 newsletters covering the early years, prenatal to 5 years of age. Tips, information, and ideas for fun are presented by the national JITP team. You can subscribe to this free newsletter in English or Spanish.

24/7 Dad is a must to help fathers improve their parenting skills and become nurturing and supportive dads. Information is provided as a six-lesson series.

Tuning in to Kids Alabama Parenting Education Tuning in to Kids Alabama Parenting Education is offered online or in person to help parents and caregivers learn about the importance of emotional intelligence and how to communicate about emotions with children. Tested outcomes show behavioral improvements, and parents benefit from self-awareness and learning how to destress.

Fathering in 15 is a free online tool to help fathers build parenting skills.

Facebook and Zoom Events

Alabama Money Podcast Launching January 2023, with six episodes released by June 2023, Extension professionals will discuss topics to help you create financial independence.

Available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Website Highlights

Visit aces.edu and go to the Home and Family section for information on the following:

January – International Quality of Life Month, National Financial Wellness Month

February – American Heart Month, America Saves Week

March – Credit Education Month, Living Well Month, National Consumer Protection Week, National Nutrition Month

April – Child Abuse Prevention Month, Financial Literacy Month

May – Family Wellness Month, Mental Health Awareness Month

June – National Homeownership Month, National Men’s Health Month 

August – World Breastfeeding Week, National Wellness Month

October – Alabama FAFSA Completion Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Bullying Prevention Month, National Children’s Health Month, National Substance Abuse Prevention Month

November – National Diabetes Month, National Family Caregivers Month, National Family Literacy Month, Great American Smokeout

December – National Identity Theft Prevention and Awareness Month

Revised January 2023, Human Sciences Extension – Helping People Develop Essential Knowledge and Skills, FCS-2500