RELEASE
Building Healthy Communities Program Awarded to 112 Michigan Schools to Boost Student and Staff Well-being
Teddy Lemmer
| 4 min read
DETROIT, Nov. 10, 2025 — Building Healthy Communities (BHC) is proud to announce 112 schools are selected to participate in the program this school year, which helps create healthier school environments to support healthy eating, physical activity, mental health and well-being of students and staff. In a time when 90,000 Michigan adolescents have serious thoughts of suicide each year, Building Healthy Communities resources are more important than ever to help children, grow, thrive and improve their physical and mental health.
BHC success snapshot
With the help of BHC, schools indicate significant improvements in their students’ healthy behaviors:
- Mental health benefits: Students are more open about their feelings, in some instances, suicidal ideation and stress levels have dropped for both pupils and teachers.
- Nutrition gains: Participating students consume 40% more fruits and vegetables than the national average.
- More movement: Daily steps rise by about 700 steps and students add 35 minutes of moderate‑to‑vigorous activity to their routines each week.
- Academic lift: Test scores in math and reading improve while screen time drops 19 minutes per day; 74% of students report it’s easier to focus in class.
- Long‑term health impact: Better diet and activity patterns are linked to sustained reductions in key cardiovascular risk factors.
“During the 2024-2025 school year, our data shows that suicidal ideation among students is down by approximately 61 percent,” said Alexandra Edlund, school counselor at Three Rivers High School. “Teachers have reported more open conversations in classrooms, while students report feeling more supported and less alone, due to the openness and ease of accessing mental health supports, such as the student mental health ambassadors. Thanks to the program, Three Rivers has not only expanded access to critical mental health resources—but it has also empowered students to be part of the solution, creating a safer and more compassionate school community.”
Three tracks, one goal
Now in its 17th year, Building Healthy Communities offers three tailored programs for Michigan schools, allowing them to apply for the program that best meets their needs:
- BHC: Healthy Elementary School Transformations
- BHC: Engaging Middle Schools Through Project Healthy Schools
- BHC: Step Up for School Wellness (grades K-12).
Each program provides a variety of resources focusing on education, healthy eating, physical activity and mental health and well-being.
“Michigan children are facing alarming rates of mental health concerns that are compounded by community stressors and a growing shortage of resources that challenge school districts to keep students safe and thriving,” said Tiffany Albert, senior vice president of Community Relations at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. “Building Healthy Communities addresses these challenges by providing schools with evidence-based tools, empowering teachers and students. Investing in a child's well-being today reduces the need for costly medical care tomorrow, resulting in a healthier, more affordable health care system for all Michiganians. I am proud that, for the 17th year, BHC continues to provide resources that produce positive outcomes for students, staff and schools.”
Program partners
BHC is supported by multiple statewide organizations, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Michigan Department of Education, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Michigan Fitness Foundation, Michigan Recreation and Park Association, Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Virtual, OK2SAY, SHAPE Michigan, United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM), the University of Michigan and Wayne State University Center for Health and Community Impact.
Building Healthy Communities supports Blue Cross’ ongoing commitment to children’s health and its #MIKidsCan campaign, an initiative focused on encouraging kids to adopt healthy habits and get active for at least 60 minutes every day. For more information on Blue Cross’ ongoing efforts to help improve childhood health, visit ahealthiermichigan.org/MIKidsCan.
2025-2026 Building Healthy Communities school roster can be found here.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides health benefits to more than 4.7 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies residing outside the state. The company has been committed to delivering affordable health care products through a broad variety of plans for businesses, individuals and seniors for more than 80 years. Beyond health care coverage, BCBSM supports impactful community initiatives and provides leadership in improving health care. For more information, visit bcbsm.com and MIBlueDaily.com.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides health benefits to more than 4.7 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies residing outside the state. The company has been committed to delivering affordable health care products through a broad variety of plans for businesses, individuals and seniors for more than 80 years. Beyond health care coverage, BCBSM supports impactful community initiatives and provides leadership in improving health care. For more information, visit bcbsm.com and MIBlueDaily.com.
