Workplace health forums are set

Through a Community Transformation Grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and South Central Illinois Health Coalition (SCIHC) are using funds to implement “We Choose Health.”
This is a statewide initiative to reduce chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes, which are a significant portion (75 percent) of the health care costs in the United States.
“Our mission is to transform the health of our communities by working with employers, schools, hospitals and other cooperating agencies to initiate lasting changes,” said Rhonda Andrews, administrator of the Fayette County Health Department and a member of SCIHC.
The “We Choose Health”-SCIHC Worksite Wellness initiative is sponsoring two upcoming employer wellness forums to educate local employers on the current trends and transforming climate of worksite wellness.
Worksite wellness programs are no longer a trendy idea for larger companies, but a necessity for employers of all sizes. Topics at the forum will include: Worksite Wellness: Getting Started and Staying Engaged; Best Practices and Key Trends; and the Affordable Care Act: How to Integrate Plan Benefit Design and Wellness Incentives.
The forums will be held from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. next Wednesday at St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham and on Tuesday, June 18, at the Rolland Lewis Community Building in Mt. Vernon.
Each forum is certified to offer continuing education credit for attendance.  Six CEUs/CPDUs are available for full event participation in partnerships with Rend Lake College.
For more information about CEUs, contact Rend Lake College Community & Corporate Education at 437-5321, ext. 1714.
All participants will receive free customizable policy templates and easy to implement wellness program examples.
To register for this event, visit the Fayette County Health Department website at www.fayettehealthdept.org or call 283-1044.