City to use $5,000 wellness award for ongoing weight loss program

Posted 2/19/15

Warwick’s Employee Wellness Program received the Thomas E. Dwyer Wellness Program Innovation Award from the Rhode Island Interlocal Risk Management Trust during the Trust’s 28th Annual Dinner …

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City to use $5,000 wellness award for ongoing weight loss program

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Warwick’s Employee Wellness Program received the Thomas E. Dwyer Wellness Program Innovation Award from the Rhode Island Interlocal Risk Management Trust during the Trust’s 28th Annual Dinner Meeting on Jan 22. The $5,000 award recognizes excellence in a Trust Health Pool Member program that effectively promotes wellness and healthy best practices in the workplace.

Mayor Scott Avedisian said, “I am very proud that the city of Warwick’s Employee Wellness Program has received this award. Improving the health and well-being of city employees has continued to be a priority for my administration. We are committed to advancing our innovative program to empower municipal employees to lead healthy, fulfilling lives and these funds will enable us to realize our goals.”

Since its inception more than 20 years ago, the city of Warwick’s Employee Wellness Program has improved the health and well-being of employees and has also reduced workers’ compensation claims. Employee participation continues to rise, with 338 employees participating, up from 268 employees in 2013.

Under the direction of an established Wellness Committee, the city hosts an annual employee Health Fair featuring nearly 30 health and wellness vendors. The wellness program offers regularly scheduled topic-specific seminars and services to assist employees with issues such as medication management, nutrition counseling and weight management. Additionally, an on-site registered nurse is available to provide biometric screenings (weight, blood pressure and glucose levels), immunizations, CPR and First Aid training, tobacco cessation, and other health education topics. 

In an effort to determine wellness programs from which city employees would benefit, the city analyzed data collected from a 2013 health assessment of all employees, which identified physical inactivity, poor nutrition and high Body Mass Index (BMI) as the leading areas of risk and potential target areas to formulate its wellness initiatives. The city will utilize the innovation award to establish an ongoing weight loss program such as Weight Watchers or Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), utilizing the Wellness Award funds to offset the cost and make it affordable to employees, thus resulting in increased employee participation.

The city will also schedule regular visits from registered dieticians, exercise physiologists and food vendors to demonstrate ways to cook healthy meals using affordable and nutritious ingredients.  

Avedisian said, “I would like to thank the Rhode Island Interlocal Risk Management Trust for recognizing our ongoing efforts, and I would like to express my gratitude to Pat Seltzer, RN, wellness coordinator, and all of the members of the Wellness Committee for their hard work. I would also like to recognize Jane Jordan, personnel director, for her assistance and all employees who have participated in this program.”

“We commend the city of Warwick for taking the initiative toward a healthier workplace and recognizing the role wellness plays not only for employee health, but for the city as well in terms of reduced health care costs, greater workforce productivity, decreased absenteeism, reduced stress levels and increased morale,” Ian Ridlon, Trust president and executive director, said in a statement.

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