TWH™ in Action! - November 2013

TWH™ in Action! - November 2013

TWH™ in Action!

November 2013 | Volume 2 - Number 4 Managers’ Buzz Who is responsible for worker health? Workers? Employers? Healthcare providers? Government? Everybody? Nobody? These are the questions that Dr. John Howard, NIOSH Director, used to provocatively challenge the audience at the 27th National Conference on Health, Productivity and Human Capital hosted by the National Business Group on Health, September 25 – 27 in Washington, D.C. According to Dr. Howard, national economic health hinges upon the health of our workforce which is threatened by pervasive issues, such as obesity, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and aging. His bottom line: worker health is economic health. Keeping workers healthy and productive contributes to quality of life, local and national economies, and reduces the burden on entitlement programs such as social security disability insurance, social security, and Medicare. Read More... TOTAL WORKER HEALTH™ Exclusive The NIOSH TOTAL WORKER HEALTH™ (TWH) Program is built upon growing evidence indicating comprehensive policies and programs that concurrently address health promotion and health protection may be more effective in preventing disease and promoting health and safety than either approach alone. This integrated approach has been endorsed by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the American Heart Association for cardiovascular health promotion, the International Association for Worksite Health Promotion, and the Institute of Medicine. Read More... Healthier Feds A growing body of scientific evidence indicates that the quality work environment is a predictor of health behaviors. In support of this notion, the federal government is providing opportunities for advanced health and well-being in its own workforce. The purpose of this section is to spotlight ways in which the federal community is improving the health and safety of federal employees. Read More... Updates from the NIOSH TOTAL WORKER HEALTH™ Program The Third Annual National Expert Colloquium on TOTAL WORKER HEALTH was convened by the NIOSH on September 19, 2013 in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the Colloquium was: 1) to create a forum for discussion of current research and practice issues, opportunities and challenges related to an integrated approach to safety, health and well-being; 2) to share individual expert input on current and proposed NIOSH TOTAL WORKER HEALTH Program activities; and, 3) to discuss emerging and priority issues related to health protection and health promotion for the American workforce. Read More... Updates from NIOSH Centers of Excellence to Promote a Healthier Workforce The Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace (CPH-NEW) The CPH-NEW Healthy Worksite Participatory Program online toolkit for workplace safety and wellness managers will be available in November, 2013. Join the CPH-NEW Mailing List to receive an announcement of webinar training dates: www.uml.edu/cphnew. Read More... News from our Partners On October 3 and 4, representatives from all of the NIOSH extramurally funded centers for the first time at the University of Denver. The meeting was sponsored by NIOSH’s Office of Extramural Programs. However, NIOSH representatives were unable to attend due to the lapse of FY14 appropriations. Read More... New Initiatives and Resources Earlier this year, the voluntary National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace was released. The Standard, championed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), is designed to help employers improve how they protect mental health in the workplace. The MHCC is now launching a three-year case study research study designed to follow the journey of 10-15 Canadian employers as they become industry leaders in workplace mental health. As these organizations work through the staged implementation of the Standard, the MHCC will provide observations and insights at no cost to each organization. Read More... Upcoming Conferences, Webinars and Trainings in Support of NIOSH TOTAL WORKER HEALTH™ COMING IN 2014! NIOSH TOTAL WORKER HEALTH™ Webinar Series!Join us on February 25, 2014 from 3:30pm – 5:00pm EST for our inaugural webinar with Dr. Laura Punnett and Dr. Ron Goetzel. Stay tuned for more details! Experience TOTAL WORKER HEALTH live and in-person in 2014!  Mark your calendar now to join us October 6 – 10, 2014 in Bethesda, MD on the historic and healthy campus of the National Institutes of Health. Stay tuned for more details in future editions of TWH in Action! or send us a note at twh@cdc.gov to become immediately connected to the TOTAL WORKER HEALTH™ 2014 Symposium community! Read More...