Media Release

For: Immediate Release
Date: July 2, 2007

Governor’s Office and Department of Health Announce Wellness Innovation Awards

Governor Donald L. Carcieri and the Rhode Island Department of Health today announced the Governor’s Awards for Wellness Innovation, a program to recognize organizations for creative programs and policies that address the wellness needs of their employees, as well as other groups, such as students, community residents, and congregations.

Organizations in Rhode Island that address such wellness areas as tobacco control, seatbelt use, healthy weight, physical activity, and/or nutrition are eligible to apply for an award. The Governor’s Awards for Wellness Innovation is a component of the Governor’s Wellness Initiative, which aims to cut in half the number of Rhode Islanders with unhealthy and unsafe habits by 2010. 

“I am very pleased to launch this wellness innovation awards program,” said Governor Donald L. Carcieri. “The Governor’s Awards for Wellness Innovation is an important way to recognize organizations that are innovative, creative, and proactive in developing and maintaining worksite wellness programs. It is well documented that employees and employers benefit when an organization makes wellness in the workplace a priority.”

“Wellness, health promotion, and disease prevention are at the core of public health practice,” commented Director of Health, David R. Gifford, MD, MPH.  “While wellness may seem like an obvious priority, it does not usually get the time and attention that it deserves.  With the Governor’s support and this new award, we hope to further promote healthy lifestyles for all Rhode Islanders.”

In April, Rhode Island was designated as the nation’s first “Well State” by the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA). The designation was achieved by having 20 percent of the state’s workforce employed by organizations that are designated by WELCOA as “Well Workplaces.” Rhode Island State Government is one of the 67 organizations designated as a “Well Workplace.”  

Organizations eligible to apply for an award include:

• Worksites
• Schools
• Healthcare organizations
• City or town governments
• Community-based and faith-based organizations
• Organized labor
• State agencies
• Media

The application deadline is August 31, 2007.  For more information or to apply for an award, visit www.health.ri.gov/wellnessaward.