School Employee Wellness Program

Steps to a HealthierNY, Jefferson County, NY

Purpose:

To increase the health and wellness of school personnel

Target Population:

School personnel in Jefferson County, N.Y.

Program Goals:

• Increase the number of employees who are at a healthy weight

• Decrease the number of employees who are at risk for diabetes

• Increase the percentage of employees who consume a healthy diet

• Increase the percentage of employees who participated in regular physical activity

• Decrease the number of employees who use tobacco products

Years in Operation:

2004 – present

Funding:

The School Employee Wellness Program is funded through a grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Structure and Operations:

• The Steps to a HealthierNY program in Jefferson County, N.Y., partnered with rural school districts to establish a School Health Advisory Committee.

• Assessments of schools using the School Health Index, an effective tool for establishing needed health policies and practices, revealed staff wellness as an area in need of improvement, and facilitated the development of action plans for school wellness program implementation.

• Examples of activities included after-hours walking groups, classes on healthy eating, and full days devoted to staff health, courtesy of the Board of Education.

• Specific examples of impact include:

  • In one school district, the success of the school employee wellness program allowed the Board of Education to waive one month of insurance premiums for all employees, a total of almost $300,000 in savings.

  • There is a documented decrease in expenditures by one district’s self-funded health care plan, and now program funding is at its highest level ever.

More Information:

http://www.ncsteps.org

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