The state of Georgia is pioneering a program which combines health and education. Unlike most such programs, this seems to address problems at their source:
“The single-best predictor of a child’s academic success is not parental education or socioeconomic status, but rather the quality and quantity of the words that a baby hears during his or her first three years.”
“Children with more words do better in school. Adults who were good students and earned a college degree have longer life expectancies. They are at a lower risk for hypertension, depression, and sleep problems. They are less likely to be smokers and to be obese.”
Original Source: Why Boosting Poor Children’s Vocabulary Is Important for Public Health