Article archive / September 2017
Originally published: . Volume 8, No. 9. Source pages: 4.
National Healthcare Group Recognizes La Department of Health Well-Ahead Initiative
In an August 22 press release, officials announced that Well- Ahead Louisiana, an initiative of the Louisiana Department of Health, has been honored with the Wellness Frontiers Award from the Healthcare Leadership Council.
Well-Ahead Louisiana earned this recognition for their work to create WellSpots across Louisiana, noted the authors. WellSpots are worksites, hospitals, schools, child care centers, colleges/universities and restaurants that have worked with the Louisiana Department of Health to meet wellness benchmarks and to implement voluntary, smart changes to make healthier living easier for all Louisiana residents.
There are currently 2,267 Well Spots across the state. “Each WellSpot designation is a small step toward improving Louisiana’s health outcomes and reducing the financial and personal cost of chronic disease,” said Melissa Martin, Director of Well-Ahead Louisiana.
WellSpots can be searched on the website, categorized by zip code or area and types, which include child care centers, colleges, hospitals, worksites and even restaurants. For example, in Baton Rouge, Another Broken Egg is a WellSpot. In New Orleans, Blaze Pizza is a WellSpot. Brown Bag Gourmet in Marksville and Blue Line Sandwich Co in Metairie are WellSpots.
Well-Ahead Louisiana is an initiative of the Louisiana Department of Health aimed at improving the health and wellness of Louisiana residents. Well-Ahead Louisiana aims to foster a statewide community-based network that promotes health in all places and spaces, connecting organizations and residents across the state to the resources that will make healthy living easily accessible. For information go to www.wellaheadla.com
Partners include many organizations and agencies. These include: Alzheimer's Services of the Capital Area, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Children's Bureau of New Orleans Healthy BR, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Region VI Field Office, Louisiana Association of Principals, Louisiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum, Louisiana Housing Council, Louisiana Public Health Institute – Tobacco Free Living, Louisiana Restaurant Association, Louisiana State University Tobacco Control Initiative, March of Dimes, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, School Nutrition Association of Louisiana, Smoking Cessation Trust, Southeast Dairy Association, Southeast Louisiana Area Health Education Center, Southern University Ag Center, Tulane Prevention Research Center, and the YMCA of the Capital Area.
“The greatest healthcare challenge our nation faces today is the escalation of chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. The good news is that we can successfully combat this problem through innovative approaches that encourage wellness and healthy lifestyles,” said Mary R. Grealy, president of the Healthcare Leadership Council.
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