FedsGetFit

The Baltimore Federal Executive Board arranged for a briefing by our Kaiser Permanente FEHBP representative at our October 21st Board meeting on implementing a worksite wellness program for our member agencies. Our primary interest, however, is to establish a Walking for Fitness program. KP prepared a hands-on guide to workforce health, which was distributed to those present at the board meeting. We have encouraged our local agencies to establish a Walking For Fitness Program as soon a practicable. The walking program will be part of an overall worksite wellness program within participating agencies.

We have also, for the second year, expanded the FEHBP Open Season Health Fair to a Health and Wellness Fair (on November 18, 2009).

KP has volunteered to work with the FEB on this expanded fair. FEHBP health insurance carriers have volunteered to sponsor wellness stations during the fair such as blood pressure testing and a Body Fat Analysis screening station. Other stations and/or kiosks are pending to include a massage station and chiropractic station.

For Chicago regional federal agencies, the Federal Executive Board Regional Health and Fitness Coordinating Committee coordinates the WellFeds Campaign Federal Employees: Active and Healthy... Working Well!

The WellFeds Campaign “Federal Employees: Active and Healthy…Working Well!” is creating a model worksite wellness program for Federal employees. The campaign is expected to become a national model, with the goal of expanding the initiative across the country with comprehensive agency participation similar to the Combined Federal Campaign. The initial goal of this worksite wellness campaign is to improve the culture of Chicago Federal workplaces to more fully promote employee wellness, and thereby productivity, through physical activity, healthy eating, and other wellness activities.

The initiative is a partnership with the Chicago Federal Executive Board, Building a Healthier Chicago through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Region V, and HHS’ Federal Occupational Health (FOH). Wellness leaders from Chicago region federal agencies form the WellFeds Campaign Leadership Team, which guides the campaign and provides support to agency wellness initiatives. In addition to the WellFeds Leadership Team, member agencies have also developed Wellness Champions who serve on committees to determine and implement appropriate wellness activities at each agency or division within an agency.

As of October 2009, the WellFeds campaign has 20 participating agencies and had 100 participants attend the WellFeds kickoff.

With wellness ideals in mind, the Cleveland FEB (CFEB) actively partners with single-agency health programs/presentations, to convert those programs into a multi-agency initiative, which spreads awareness and avoids costs. The CFEB also takes a leadership role in promoting FEHB programs by not only arranging the largest Federal Health Fair in the region, but by looking for ways FEHB providers can work together when sharing health plan information with federal employees.

The annual capstone of our wellness initiatives is known as “Step-it-Up.” This walking program involves hundreds of participants grouped into teams of 4 for the duration of the 8 week program. Each participant receives a pedometer at registration, which is used to calculate the number of steps taken on a weekly basis. The competition surrounds each team vying to walk more than the others, and win the top prizes. Even in the first year of the program, the participants realized that the recommended 10,000 steps a day (that we struggle to get) is too low of a goal to remain competitive. Most teams are walking 20k-30k steps a day, 7 days a week. This is per team member and not yet a combined team total!

In our building there are groups of walkers that use their full break and lunch times to walk around the building. Elevators are faster as the participants choose the stairs instead – anything to get more steps in! We believe that not only do the teams compete against each other, but since they can only win as a team, each person doesn’t want to be the one on their team to have logged the lowest steps for the week.

Each complete program offers each employee two courtesy health screenings and the opportunity to attend additional health presentations. We also promote other FEB programs by giving “bonus steps” to those that participate (such as the recent Feds Feed Families initiative). Through the duration of the 8 week program, we also provide incentive prizes to top participants, but it is the weight loss that is the most startling reward. Participants lose an average of 3.2 % Body Mass combined. While our FEHB carriers report that this is a phenomenal amount to lose in 8 weeks, there are many participants who have been even more successful. Since 2007, we have had 3 different people lose a life altering 40% of their BMI!

We had two events where we offer Body Fat analysis and Skin/Sun Damage assessment. Representatives from BCBS of Michigan came over and brought the equipment to show the skin/sun damage to the face, and information about healthy eating/living at the table where the body fat analysis was recorded. Employees were able to determine if they made improvement in the two areas at the second event because of cards that were given out to record the first scores. The FEB advertised for the local YMCA, located in the downtown area, for reduced membership fees.

We are hosting four nurses at the upcoming blood drive in November to do blood pressure checks, courtesy of Health Alliance Plan.

The Region VII Healthier FEDS Committee is currently comprised of representatives from HHS and USACE, but will be reaching out to other agencies for committee representation. The Committee and is led by IGA Specialist Adele Hughey, of the HHS Regional Director’s Office, and meets monthly to continue its work in enhancing federal employee wellness.

Goals include:

• Maintain a healthy weight across your lifespan.
• Reduce exposure to tobacco. and second-hand smoke for all.
• Increase your physical activity and make healthier food choices

Programs include:

• A weekly Farmers’ Market in downtown Kansas City, which is available to all federal, state, county, and city government workers located in the downtown area. This can be expanded to other federal worksites next year.
• Lunch and learn sessions in concert with FOH,
• Take the Stairs campaign,
• Encouraging utilization of regular health screenings,
• An annual employee health assessment, coordinated thru FOH
• Employee vaccinations
• A Hypertension Team Challenge – wherein teams of 4 federal employees have their blood pressures measured at FOH at Day 1, Day 90, Day 180, and Day 360. Teams with the greatest percentage reduction in blood pressure will receive prizes.

This strategy meshes very well with the recent directive from the OMB Director on June 11th, wherein he outlined four agency deliverables in the FY11 budget. One of those deliverables was to take “steps to improve employee satisfaction and wellness.

The workgroup also produces a monthly newsletter. The newsletter focuses on health and fitness issues and encourages healthy behaviors. Featured in the monthly newsletter in an HHS employee weight loss “blog”, a health topic article, “Did you know fun facts” and upcoming events. The photos in the newsletter are captured from healthy activities by federal employees.

Sponsors a Corporate Membership Fitness rate available to all federal employees in the Albuquerque area.

The FEB through its member agencies promote health and wellness activities throughout the year including:

• Activities with HHS, Office of Women's Health including Lunch and Learn workshops culminating in Walk the Brooklyn Bridge which attracts over 1,000 participants
• 22 health insurers service days
• wellness fairs
• self defense classes
• weight watchers
• smoking cessation
• a fitness center with classes

Each year, the FEB supports the annual "Race for Freedom" which kicks off our Combined Federal Campaign. This year there were 673 Federal employees that participated in the event which raised $13,200 for CFC. The GEICO CFC Race for Freedom was started in the fall of 2003 and over the years the event has raised over $53,000 for CFC. Each year the event includes a competitive 5 km & 10 km run and a 2 mile walk/run. In addition, several CFC agencies participate by setting up tables to educate participants on the services they provide in the community. It is a great event that promotes philanthropy and fitness while also raising awareness of the presence of the Federal community in Oklahoma.

Starting February 1st, the Federal Occupational Health kicked off their "Winter Walking Challenge", a 6-week walking program designed to help employees to keep moving through the cold winter months. Using a pedometer, participants will attempt to increase the number of steps they take each day by 15, 25, or even 50%. Throughout the 6-week challenge, participants will be provided with tips and tricks to keep on track as well as short educational seminars the will promote wellness throughout the program. FOH will provide maps of the OKC underground tunnels for convenient winter-weather exercising, as well as Oklahoma parks and resort guides to keep participants walking even after the challenge is completed.

Oregon is working with local FEHB providers to conduct lunch and learn sessions during the year on smoking, diet, stress, and exercise.

Health and Safety Committee sponsors quarterly programs, which vary year to year.  These programs include:

• Health and Wellness Fairs
• Exercise and Nutrition
• CPR/AED Training
• Stress Management
• Driver's Safety
• Ergonomics, etc.

We also sponsor on-site fitness classes which currently are:

• Cardio and Mix Conditioning
• Pilates Fusion
• Fitness Yoga

In addition, we help to promote any programs being offered by the Federal Occupational Health Nurse which have included screenings for vision, hearing, cholesterol, prostate cancer, diabetes, and others, as well as Weight watchers and educational programs.

On February 18, the San Francisco FEB's Health and Wellness Task Force launched it new website: http://www.norcalfedsgetfit.us/ (this is a work-in-progress and will change in the next few weeks).

The San Francisco Federal Executive Board teamed up with the VA Regional Office, Kaiser and GEHA to sponsor two Health Awareness sessions during the month of March.

The Greater St. Louis FEB partners with various groups to distribute health and wellness activity and event information.