Orange County NC Website
ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: February 15, 2011 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. <br />SUBJECT: Grant Application to North Carolina Association of County Commissioners for <br />Wellness Program <br />DEPARTMENT: Human Resources PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />NCACC Grant Application <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Michael McGinnis, Human Resources <br />Director, 245-2552 <br />Clarence Grier, Financial Services <br />Director, 245-2453 <br />Diane Shepherd, Benefits Manager, <br />245-2558 <br />PURPOSE: To authorize the submission of the County's wellness grant application to the <br />North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) Risk Management Pool for <br />Employee Wellness Program funding; to accept any grant funds awarded; and to establish a <br />grant project ordinance to monitor expenditures per the grantor's request. <br />BACKGROUND: The NCACC provides a wellness grant for members of the risk management <br />pool to provide start up funds for programs members wish to implement for their employees. <br />Healthier employees have a greater quality of life as individuals and contribute to the health of <br />the organization. Healthier employees are more productive and with healthier employees and <br />fewer medical claims, the County can better sustain employees' health insurance coverage. <br />Orange County requested and received wellness grants in 2006 and 2009. Grant funding is <br />based on the number of employees in the member organization, to a maximum of $5,000 and <br />are to be used for new wellness programs. Grant funds are to be used beginning within 90 <br />days of receiving the grant money. <br />In October 2009, the Board approved the submission of an NCACC wellness grant application <br />for $7,500 to be used for incentives for wellness activities. A variety of rewards were purchased <br />and distributed to employees who completed the Health Assessment. Incentives were <br />distributed through a drawing of the 85% of employees who took the Health Assessment, and <br />others were provided for participation in wellness activities, such as the Walks at Work and <br />"Walktober challenge." Each department was issued one or more copies of a "Stop & Go Fast <br />Food Nutrition Guide," and smaller individual booklets were purchased and distributed to all new <br />employees. <br />