The Office of Coordinated School Health (OCSH) was established by the Tennessee Department of Education in February, 2001. The primary mission of the office is to improve student health outcomes as well as support the connection between good health practices, academic achievement, and lifetime wellness.  OCSH partners with the Tennessee Department of Health - Office of School Health. With the passage of TCA 49-1-1002 in 2000, authorization and funding for CSH was established. Additional funding has been provided by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Education reforms have not succeeded in improving the performance of all students, particularly those who do not arrive at school ready to learn. Coordinated School Health encourages healthy lifestyles, provides needed supports to at-risk students, and helps to reduce the prevalence of health problems that impair academic success.

Coordinated School Health (CSH) is an effective system designed to connect health (physical, emotional and social) with education. This coordinated approach improves students' health and their capacity to learn through the support of families, communities and schools working together. The CSH approach consists of eight major components.  By definition, all Coordinated School Health components work together to improve the lives of students and their families.  Although these components are listed separately, it is their composite that allows CSH to have significant impact. The eight components include: health education, physical education/physical activity, health services, nutrition services, health promotion for staff, counseling and psychological services, healthy school environment and student/parent/community involvement.