The School District of Palm Beach County‟s wellness initiatives have sought to establish a workplace that encourages and supports a healthy lifestyle. Integrating health promotion activities and resources help to enhance health and well-being for the employee, their family and the community.

• default_titleA wellness committee met regularly with school district leadership and community members to collaborate on wellness initiatives.
• default_titleMore than 180 Wellness Champions, led by two onsite wellness coordinators, actively promoted wellness and helped employees get engaged in specific activities and challenges.
• default_titleAn onsite nurse liaison helped reach high-risk employees, and mobile health kiosks were used to host educational events and bring wellness programs to high-risk populations throughout the county.
• default_titleThe District offered reduced premiums for employees and their spouses who completed an annual physical, biometric screenings and an online health assessment.
• default_titleParticipation rates steadily increased with approximately 9 of every 10 employees participating in the wellness program.
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Employee Wellness worked to produce good role models for the students while supporting high student achievement. The programs improved the health of the population and controlled the spiraling health care cost and increases. The most successful programs were the Wellness Champion Activities, Wellness Rewards, and Diabetes Health Plan. We hope to continue seeing a decline in preventable disease and earlier detection to better manage health status. For our programs to survive and succeed over the long haul, people will have to genuinely embrace the concept of workplace wellness. To be ultimately effective, we will continue to build the rational as to why health is important and what steps can be taken to protect it.

Sunshine State School Public Relations Association (SUNSPRA) Sunshine Medallion Award for Promotional Videos, Large District

2012 UnitedHealthcare Well Deserved Award (Out of 75 applicants we were one out of 11 in the Nation who demonstrate the highest level of commitment to worksite wellness)

We asked for recipes straight from employee’s kitchens that were delicious and good for you. The Healthy Recipe contest was open to all School District employees, and was designed to encourage healthier food choices. Participants submitted revamped or original “from scratch” recipes from a variety of categories and meal times. The Employee Wellness 2nd Annual HealthyLiving Cookbook was published in January 2013.

The Diabetes Prevention and Control Program sponsored by the Florida Department of Health provided funding to focus on diabetes and pre-diabetes. The purpose of this program was to ensure that adults with or at high risk for chronic diseases in The School District of Palm Beach County have access to information and programs to best manage their conditions. The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion worked to address chronic diseases throughout the community. This program referred patients to evidence-based programs that increased the likelihood that people with heart disease, diabetes or pre-diabetes and arthritis would be able to "follow doctor’s orders" and take charge of their health - improving their quality of life, averting or delaying onset or progression of disease, avoiding complication and reducing the need for additional health care. This program allowed us to offer a 16-week diabetes prevention program in collaboration with the Florida Health Palm Beach County (formerly known as the Palm Beach County Health Department).

Florida KidCare is a children’s health insurance that is available to every school-age child in Florida who is in need of coverage. The School District received a grant to assist families with obtaining health insurance. This grant provided application assistance and information to families to apply for Florida KidCare. There are approximately 500,000 uninsured children living in Florida, and close to 50,000 uninsured children currently residing in Palm Beach County. Data supports that health insurance allows children to have fewer preventable diseases, fewer sick days away from school and a significantly improved quality of life. This funding allowed us a comprehensive approach to outreach and support the population in need of this benefit.

By implementing the Employee Wellness Program, the School District is taking steps to ensure that resources are maximized to provide a strong, healthy and productive workforce. By encouraging staff members to pursue a healthy lifestyle, this, in turn contributes to improved health status, improved morale, and a greater personal commitment to a healthier school environment.

To view some of the numerous efforts that give employees the opportunities and information they need to proactively address their health and wellness please visit the following website: