@ the Center for Health Inclusion, Research and Practice (CHIRP)
Led by the Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) at University of California, Merrimack College, the Rudd Center at the University of Connecticut, University of New England, Boise State University, Stanford University, and Arizona State University, this collaborative of researchers across the United States is examining the impact of Healthy School Meals for All (HSM4A) policies on school meal participation and food security. With funding from Share Our Strength, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Healthy Eating Research), Full Plates Full Potential, and the State of California, this rigorous and timely school policy research will help to identify barriers and best practices for implementing HSM4A to help inform the continued successful implementation among states with this policy and to support new policy efforts among other states and at the national level.
Meet The Team

Merrimack College & Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
Co-Principal Investigator

Nutrition Policy Institute
University of California
Co-Principal Investigator


Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health
University of Connecticut
Center for Excellence in Public Health
University of New England

Nutrition Policy Institute
University of California

Nutrition Policy Institute
University of California

Nutrition Policy Institute
University of California

Center for School & Community Partnerships
Boise State University

Division of General Pediatrics
Stanford University

Nutrition Policy Institute
University of California

College of Health Solutions
Arizona State University

Center for Health Inclusion, Research, & Practice
Merrimack College

Center for Health Inclusion, Research, & Practice
Merrimack College
Publications
Zuercher MD, Cohen JFW, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Ritchie LD, Gosliner W. Providing School Meals to All Students Free of Charge During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: Challenges and Benefits Reported by School Foodservice Professionals in California. Nutrients, volume 14, issue 18, article 3855, 17 September 2022.
Cohen, J.F., Polacsek, M., Hecht, C.E., Hecht, K., Read, M., Olarte, D.A., Patel, A.I., Schwartz, M.B., Turner, L., Zuercher, M. and Gosliner, W., 2022. Implementation of Universal School Meals during COVID-19 and beyond: Challenges and Benefits for School Meals Programs in Maine. Nutrients, 14(19), p.4031.
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Reports
Report written by Cohen J, Gosliner W, Hecht C, Hecht K, Schwartz M, Zuercher M, Ritchie L.
Report written by Martinelli S, Acciai F, Melnick E, Ohri-Vachaspati P.
Resources
Instruments
Food Service Director Evaluation
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Survey and qualitative interview guide developed for food service directors

Parent Evaluation
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Survey and qualitative interview guide developed for parents

Infographics
Infographic created in collaboration with Healthy Eating Research (RWJF)