Health partners receives award
Washington County Health Partners Inc. recently received the Public Health Foundation’s 2013 “I’m Your Community Guide!” certificate of achievement award for WellLife.
The award recognizes WCHP for its role in improving the overall health and wellness of the Washington community through its WellLife program.
WellLife, which ran from 2002 to 2008, was developed to reduce the modifiable lifestyle risk factors that lead to cardiovascular disease. WellLife consisted of eight weekly, two-hour sessions designed to help people eat right, be active and reduce stress.
About 64 percent of the participants who completed the course reported they eliminated at least one high risk factor associated with cardiovascular disease and general poor health a year later. Thanks to WellLife, a theoretical total of 63.1 years of life was gained, and $60,180 was saved in one year by these risk factor reductions.
Although WellLife was discontinued after 2008 due to funding restrictions, WCHP is working on a do-it-yourself WellLife program manual.