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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05141985 - 2.8 009 TO: .+- BOARD OF SUPERVISORS + Phil Batchelor, County Administrator Contra FROM: Costa DATE: May 8 , 1985 County SUBJECT: Health Promotion (Wellness) Program SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION Authorize Personnel Director to prepare a detailed program budget for. establishment of a Wellness Program for consideration as a budget item for the 1985-1986 fiscal year. FINANCIAL IMPACT The first year costs for establishment of a Wellness Program are estimated at $90,000 based on. a maximum expenditure of $1. 50 per month per employee. Funding for the program is proposed for inclusion in the Workers ' Compensation Budget inasmuch as the program is designed to prevent and reduce accidents and illness among County employees and thus reduce Workers' Compensation costs. BACKGROUND The Personnel Director has prepared a report on this subject dated April 24, 1985; a copy of this report is attached. Establishment of a Wellness Program appears to be the most orderly way to respond to concerns which the. Board has expressed about establishment of a physical fitness program for County employees, and for intensification of anti-smoking efforts and related health concerns. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION Without initiation of remedial efforts, continuation of health problems about which the Board has expressed concern may be anticipated, together with a continued high rate of sick leave usage. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) ACTION OF BOARD ON May 14, 1985 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS i X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: County AchnInistrator ATTESTED " Personnel Director Phil Ba th or, Clerk of the Board of' Supervisors and County Administrator a M382/7-83 BY -. DEPUTY c • Contra .r! Personnel Department `':` =` Administration Bldg. Sta __ 651 Pine Street County Martinez, California 94553-1292 DATE: April 24, 1985 TO: Mr. Philip J. Batchelor, County Administrator._ FROM: Harry D. Cisterman, Director of Personnel SUBJECT: HEALTH PROMOTION (WELLNESS) PROGRAMS INTRODUCTION The Board of Supervisors has made several referrals to the Office of the County Administrator concerning various aspects of employee fitness programs, exercise facilities and smoking cessation program. In response to these inquires and from the recognition that health promotion is the most effective method to contain increasing health care costs, a joint com- mittee representing Health Services and the Personnel Department has been exploring the feasibility of a Wellness Program for County employees. In reviewing a prior study done by the Health Department in 1983, as well as current literature and existing programs, the group has concluded that our approach should differ from standard corporate programs which rely heavily on outside consultants and vendors. This is because the County has a wealth of resources, particularly in the Health Department, wh.ich could be drawn upon.to provide a variety of the needed services. In addition, there already exists a number of links with community agencies such as Heart Association, Hypertension Council , Lung 'Association, Cancer Society and the Red Cross which would be _ extremely valuable in developing a health promotion program. WHY WELLNESS AT THE WORKPLACE? Employers are beginning to recognize that sponsoring group insurance plans is no longer a sufficient response to employee health care needs, not only because of the spiraling increase in health care costs, but from an understanding of the role an individual's lifestyle plays in overall health. This understanding results in a shift from a passive to an active role in health care delivery and a shift from support of expensive treatment oriented health care toward promotion of .prevention oriented programs. The worksite .is also an ideal setting for screening and promotion activities, . and can encourage participation from peer support .as well as provide oppor- tunities for positive reinforcement. BENEFITS OF A WELLNESS PROGRAM The long term benefit of. a health promotion program is to improve the health status of individuals whose use of health care services makes up the.health care bill and is founded on two basic premises: *Prevention when possible is preferable to curing *the expense-'of training people to stay healthy is generally less costly than treating illness Traditionally, health improvement programs have seen positive results in a number of areas: *reduced absenteeism *greater productivity -enhanced morale •improved recruitment and retention - impact on health, accident, disabiltiy and workers' compensation benefit plan costs AN APPROACH FOR CONTRA COSTA COUNTY The foundation'of this program will be to identify and develop cost effective resources both within county government and the community to assist in health promotion efforts directed at the county workforce. The key element to this approach requires a full-time person to coordinate the • efforts of the resources identified to provide needed services. This program will be designed to help individuals make informed choices, and facilitate behavior changes while participants retain control over their lifestyles by 'making their own choices. A comprehensive supervised approach is recommended in an effort to reduce the exposure to liability for injures to employees involved in health promotion activities. In a related area the Personnel Director will , present a policy for smoking in the workplace during this year's labor negotiations. WELLNESS PROGRAM COMPONENTS The recommended program will be comprised of four major elements described below: Orientation This explanation phase will outline.all the various services available and also be used to motivate participation. Screening - This will be designed to both identify potential medical problems as well as provide a minimal clearance before a employee begins an exercise_ program. . _ 2 _ Promotion - These comprise the organized activities designed to promote health habit changes. Evaluation - This component is on-going throughout the. program to measure results and identify the most effective and needed programs. The following are examples of activities anticipated to be a part of" a developed health promotion effort: Screeninq Activities Promotion Activities hypertension physical fitness blood chemistry nutrition cancer screening weight reduction health risk assessment profiles smoking cessation hearing tests low back care urinalysis - stress management glaucoma tests substance abuse self-testing for medical conditions medical self-care wiser use of health care accident prevention COST TO IMPLEMENT Funding for this program has been included in the budget for the Workers' Compensation Program as a charge against loss prevention services. The thrust of the program is clearly designed to prevent and reduce accidents and illness to countv employees, and programs of this type have been found to be effective in impacting workers' compensation costs. Based on the current employee population in county sponsored health plans (which averages 5,000 employees), a maximum expenditure of $1.50 per month per employee would generate $90,000.00 which would be an ideal funding level for the first year of a health promotion program. This amount compares favorably with the _ average $65.00 current spent on a single county employee for health care pre- miums, as a relatively minimal cost for prevention. The major funding commitment is the establishment of a full-time position for a health promotion specialist and clerical support, which would cost an estimated 5559000.00. The remainder of the $35,000.00 in the target budget would be used for the following identified areas: administrative support printing newsletters and brochures contracts for trainers lab test fees promotion incentive items computer costs An additional cost f actor will involve the use of staff release time and flexible staffing to permit participation in. various aspects of the program .at convenient times. and locations. - - - 3 PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION Overall responsibility for the program will reside withthe Personnel Department, in the Benefits Division where the WorkersCompensation Program is managed. Essentially this office will contract with the Health Services Department where the health promotion specialist will be housed. This will per- mit the specialist access to community resources available from the is Section within Health Services while being dedicated to serving the needs of county employees. MEASURING SUCCESS Evaluating the benefits of health promotion is difficult to perform because: a) it is hard to assign monetary values to health outcomes b) there is a certain unreliability in attributing specific benefits to specific programs. In addition, since the primary goals of a health °promotion. program are linked to morale and improving the quality of lifestyles for employees, objective measurable results will be difficult to quantify. Generally, this type of effort can be monitored from two perspectives: Outcome Measures: reflect the success of a program (i.e. number of. employees who quit smoking) but are difficult to quantify in dollar savings. Cost Benefit Measures: measure success in dollars but are difficult to assign to specific programs (i.e. if health care costs are reduced, the specific reasons maybe hard to identify). RECOMMENDATION t` Based on the health promotion program outlined in this report, the Personnel Director should return with a detailed program budget as a part of the proposed 1985-86 fiscal year budget. In the interim staff will continue to develop com- munity resources and investigate alternative health promotion models. AKG:sjm 4/22/85 cc: Dr. Wendel Brunner, Health Services 4_ - _ . - . TO:' BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Phil Batchelor, County Administrator Contra FROM: ' Costa DATE: May $, 1985 C"nty SUBJECT: Health Promotion (Wellness) Program SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION Authorize Personnel Director to prepare a detailed program budget for establishment of a wellness Program for consideration as a budget item for the 1985-1986 fiscal year. FINANCIAL IMPACT The first year costs for establishment of a Wellness Program are estimated at $90,000 based on a maximum expenditure of $1.50 per month per employee. Funding for the program is proposed for inclusion in the Workers' Compensation Budget inasmuch as the program is designed to prevent and reduce accidents and illness among County employees and thus reduce Workers ' Compensation costs. BACKGROUND The Personnel Director has prepared a report on this subject dated April 24, 1985; a copy of this report is attached. Establishment of a Wellness Program appears to be the most orderly way to respond to concerns which the Board has expressed about establishment of a physical fitness program for County employees, and for intensification of anti-smoking efforts and related health concerns. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION - Without initiation of remedial efforts, continuation of health problems about which the Board has expressed concern may be anticipated, together with a continued high rate of sick leave usage. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) ACTION OF BOARD ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Contra Personnel Department :m:__ Costa Administration Bldg. ' x 651 Pine Street A .,. Martinez, California 94553-1292 County, i . DATE: April 24, 1985 TO: Mr. Philip J. Batchelor, County Administrator FROM: Harry D. Cisterman, Director of Personnel SUBJECT: HEALTH PROMOTION (WELLNESS) PROGRAMS INTRODUCTION The Board of Supervisors has made several referrals to the Office of the County Administrator concerning various aspects of employee fitness programs, exercise -facilities and smoking cessation program. In response to these inquires and from the recognition that health promotion is the most effective method to contain increasing health care costs, a joint com- mittee representing Health Services and the Personnel Department has been exploring the feasibility of a Wellness Program for County employees. In reviewing a prior study done by the Health Department in 1983, as well as . current literature and existing programs, the group has concluded that our approach should differ from standard corporate programs which rely heavily on outside consultants and vendors. This is because the County has a wealth of resources, particularly in the Health Department, wh-ich. could be drawn upon.to provide a variety of the needed services. In addition, there already exists a number of links with community agencies such as Heart Association, Hypertension Council , Lung Association, Cancer Society and the Red Cross which would be - extremely valuable in developing a health promotion program. WHY WELLNESS AT THE WORKPLACE? Employers are beginning to recognize that sponsoring group insurance plans is no longer a sufficient response to.employee health care needs, not only because of the spiraling increase in health care costs, but from an understanding of the role an individual 's lifestyle plays in overall health. This understanding results in a shift from a passive to an active role in health care delivery and a shift from support of expensive treatment oriented health. care toward promotion of .prevention oriented programs.. The worksite .is also an ideal setting for screening and promotion activities, . and can encourage participation from peer support as well as provide oppor- tunities for positive reinforcement. BENEFITS OF A WELLNESS PROGRAM - The long term benefit of. a health promotion program is to improve the health status of individuals whose use of health care serv.ices makes up the .health care bill and is founded on two basic premises: •prevention when possible is preferable to curing I -the expense of training people to stay healthy is generally less costly than treating illness Traditionally, health improvement programs have seen positive results in a number of areas: *reduced absenteeism *greater productivity -enhanced morale -improved recruitment and retention * impact on health, accident, disabiltiy and workers' compensation benefit plan costs AN APPROACH FOR CONTRA COSTA COUNTY The foundation of this program will be to identify and develop cost effective resources both within county government and the community to assist in health promotion efforts directed at the county workforce. The key element to this approach requires a full-time person to coordinate the efforts of the resources identified to provide needed services. This program will be designed to help individuals make informed choices, and f acili.tate behavior changes while participants retain control over their lifestyles by making their own choices. - A comprehensive supervised approach is recommended in an effort to reduce the exposure to liability for injures to employees involved in health promotion activities. In a related area the Personnel Director will present a policy for smoking in the workplace during this year's labor negotiations. WELLNESS PROGRAM COMPONENTS The recommended program will be comprised of four major elements described below: Orientation- - This explanation phase will outline .all the .various services available and also be used to motivate participation. Screening : This will be designed to both identify potential medical problems as well as provide a -minimal clearance before a employee begins an exercise program. Promotion - These comprise the organized activities designed to promote health habit changes. Evaluation This component is on-going throughout the! program to measure results and identify the most effective and needed programs. The following are examples of activities anticipated to be a part of. a developed health promotion effort: Screeninq Activities Promotion Activities hypertension physical fitness blood chemistry nutrition cancer screening weight reduction health risk assessment profiles smoking cessation . hearing tests low back care urinalysis stress management glaucoma tests substance abuse self-testing for medical conditions medical self-care wiser use of health care accident prevention COST TO IMPLEMENT Funding for this program has been included in the budget for the Workers' Compensation Program as a charge against loss prevention services. The thrust of the program is clearly designed to prevent and. reduce accidents and illness to county employees, and programs of this type have been found to be effective in impacting workers' compensation costs. Based on the current employee population in. county sponsored health plans (which averages 5,000 employees), a maximum expenditure of $1.50 per month per employee would generate $90,000.00 which would be an ideal funding level for the first year of a health promotion program. This amount compares favorably with the average $65.00 current spent on a single county employee for health care pre miums, as a relatively minimal cost for prevention. The major funding commitment is the establishment of a full-time position for a health promotion specialist and clerical support, which would cost an estimated $55,000.00. The remainder of the $35,000.00 in the target budget would be used for the following identified areas: administrative support printing - newsletters and brochures contracts for trainers lab test fees promotion incentive items computer costs An additional cost .factor .will involve the use of staff release time and flexible staffing to permit participation in. various aspects- of the program at convenient. times. and locations. _. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION Overall responsibility for the program will reside with! the Personnel Department, in the Benefits Division where the Workers' Compensation Program is managed. Essentially this office will contract with the Health Services Department where the health promotion specialist will be housed. This will -per- mit the specialist access to community resources available from the Prevention Section within Health Services while being dedicated to serving the needs of county employees. MEASURING SUCCESS Evaluating the benefits of health promotion is difficult to perform because: a) it is hard to assign monetary values to health outcomes b) there is a certain unreliability in attributing specific benefits to specific programs. I-h addition, since the primary goals of a health promotion. program are linked to morale and improving the quality of lifestyles for employees, objective measurable results will be difficult to quantify. Generally, this type of effort can be monitored from two perspectives: Outcome Measures : reflect the success of a program (i .e. number of. employees who quit smoking) but are difficult to quantify in dollar savings. Cost Benefit Measures: measure success in dollars but are difficult to assign to specific programs (i.e. if health care costs are reduced,- the educed,the specific reasons may be hard to identify). RECOMMENDATION Based on the health promotion program outlined in this report, the Personnel Director should return with a detailed program budget as a part of the proposed 1985-86 fiscal year budget. In the interim staff will continue to develop com- munity resources and investigate alternative health promotion models. AKG:sjm 4/22/85 cc: Dr. Wendel Brunner, Health Services