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Honoring companies who demonstrate a commitment to health and wellness innovation. Count Us In. COMMUNITY HEALTH AND COUNSELING SERVICES: Recipient of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care's "Health Innovator Award" C ommunity Health and Counseling Services (CHCS), a private nonprofit that provides home health, hospice and mental health services to more than 8,600 clients a year throughout Maine, is the recipient of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care's Health Innovation Award. Community Health and Counseling Services has been ahead of the curve on providing wellness programming for its 476 employees. Their Fitness and Wellness Committee first formed in 2003 as an offshoot of the Health and Safety Committee. Its six members represent each of their service areas. The committee provides CHCS staff information on healthy eating, smoking cessation, and healthy living habits. In fact, says Diane C. Nelson, Community Relations and Development Manager, they host a wellness lending library of books and DVDs, along with wellness calendars, cookbooks, and the use of email newsletters to keep everyone in their 22 locations informed. "We've had to be very creative with limited budgets," says Nelson. Their two most successful programs are Marching into May and Step It Up. The Marching into May program has employees pick a personal wellness goal and track their progress for eight weeks, submitting results that qualifies them to win raffle prizes. This program gets about a third of employees to participate. The Step It Up program in the fall inspires even more employees to participate—more than half of the staff come together, form teams and compete for the Step It Up trophy. All participants are provided with pedometers, and motivate each other to keep moving. The teams, including the "Aroostook Moose Stompers" and the "Down East Glorified Bottom Feeders", compete within each area office, as well as with the entire company. "We've consistently had good participation in our wellness programs despite having our employees spread out across the state," says Vicki Blais, Employee Benefits Coordinator. "Harvard Pilgrim has given us a lot of ideas through their At Work for You SM program; it's helped out a lot." We also utilize our membership with the Wellness Council of Maine to support our wellness programs." At CHCS' Stillwater Academy, staffers have lost more than 500 pounds between them since they began walking together, working out and learning to make healthy food choices. "It's now part of our culture," says Jody Raymond, Education Administrator of Stillwater Academy. Blais notes, "Having healthy staff allows us to set a better example for our clients." Kim Donovan, Wellness Integration Program Manager, noted that the committee tries to involve clients along with staff when they can to form walking groups, encourage smoking cessation and participating in National Wellness Week. Ed Kane, Vice President, Maine at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, said that, "Harvard Pilgrim is pleased to recognize our partner, Community Health and Counseling Services, for their creative employee health and wellness programs. As an organization utterly committed to the health of its clients, it only makes sense that CHCS has long seen the wisdom of focusing on the health and wellness of their employees, as well. They have found how to fulfill their commitment to the well-being of their employees in ways that are energetic and fun." Along with assistance from Harvard Pilgrim, the Wellness Committee is supported by CHCS Executive Director, Dale Hamilton. "Healthy employees mean we can build a healthy workplace to better serve our clients," states Hamilton. Along with increases in productivity, the wellness programs at CHCS have also resulted in cost savings. Blais reports that the company's insurance premiums have had minimal change over the past five years because the overall wellness of their employees has continued to improve. "One of our goals is to be 'an employer of choice'," says Blais, "If we have a good work environment, we can attract the best employees." What is their advice for other businesses who are thinking about starting their own employee wellness programs? "Good health is good business," says Blais. Susan Batchelder, Coordinator of Health Services, adds, "It just makes sense." "CHCS has long seen the wisdom of focusing on the health and wellness of their employees" Ed Kane, Vice President, Maine at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Ed Kane, Harvard Pilgrim's Vice President, Maine, far left, with employees of Community Health and Counseling Services, left to right: Paige Allen, Director of Human Resources; Jody Raymond, Educational Administrator; Suzette Lawson, Purchasing; Vicki Blais, Employee Benefits Coordinator; Diane Nelson, Community Relations and Development Manager; Kim Donovan, Wellness Integration Program Manager; Susan Batchelder, Health Services Coordinator; Dale Hamilton, Executive Director, in front of the CHCS office in Bangor

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