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(Minden, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman announced today the receipt of a $99,500 Healthy States grant from the National Governors Association (NGA) on behalf of state employees.
The Healthy States grant program is part of the NGA chairman's Healthy America initiative for 2005-06. NGA awarded grants to 13 states to support wellness efforts over the next 12 months. The program surveys state employees, offers a health appraisal and addresses the need for improved physical activity, nutrition, and smoking cessation. Additional Internet-based information and support activities will be available.
"Encouraging people to lead healthier lives is one way to make Nebraska a better place to live and work," Gov. Heineman said. "Employees are our greatest asset, and because of this grant, our state will have an opportunity to take an active part and lead by example."
The grant will fund a wellness program for all state employees beginning Sept. 1. The program will be organized by the Nebraska Health and Human Services System (HHSS) as part of its pilot program, "Nebraska Employee Wellness for Life."
Nebraska's grant application, filed by Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joann Schaefer and the Governor's Office on behalf of employees, said that the cost of the state employee health insurance increased by 22 percent during the past year, including expenditures for medications treating hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and depression.
Dr. Schaefer said, "We have an opportunity and a responsibility to address these statistics. Our goal is to have a positive health impact on the lives of state employees and their families. Since people spend more waking hours at work than any other place, this is a natural and appropriate avenue for the delivery of health information and services."
"The rising costs of healthcare are affecting every Nebraskan, and wellness initiatives are one way to begin stemming the tide," Gov. Heineman said. "Focusing on the health of those working in public service can and will benefit us all. As our friends in the private sector learned a long time ago, a healthy workforce is a productive workforce."
The state employs more than 19,000 Nebraskans. The Lincoln/Lancaster County Health Department will help HHSS develop the state wellness effort, basing the state program on its successful WorkWell Program, which serves nearly 90 businesses in the Lincoln area and more than 55,000 employees.
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