CDC Partners With 104 Employers for National Healthy Worksite Program

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, through its partner Viridian Health Management, has identified 104 employers in eight counties across the nation that have voluntarily chosen to participate in the National Healthy Worksite Program, a new initiative aimed at reducing chronic disease and building a healthier, more productive U.S. workforce. The initiative primarily focuses on small and mid-sized employers.

CDC’s National Healthy Worksite Program is supported through the Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund, and is designed to assist employers in building successful workplace wellness programs by implementing science-based disease prevention and wellness strategies to help reduce chronic diseases.

The eight participating communities are Buchanan County, Mo.; Harris County, Texas; Kern County, Calif.; Marion County, Ind.; Philadelphia County, Pa.; Pierce County, Wash.; Shelby County, Tenn.; and Somerset County, Maine. The communities were selected because of their high rates of chronic diseases and health risk behaviors such as smoking and physical inactivity. Also important in the community selection process was the availability of local resources to support a sustainable workplace health program, such as proximity to hospitals and existing community health promotion programs.

A complete listing of the selected employers and more information about the program is located at http://www.cdc.gov/NationalHealthyWorksite.