Janet Bezner, PhD, Lisa K. Lloyd, PhD, & Sylvia H. Crixell, PhD, RD Building a Culture of Health to Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice in a University Workplace Janet Bezner, PhD, Lisa K. Lloyd, PhD, & Sylvia H. Crixell, PhD, RD Department of Physical Therapy, Department of Health & Human Performance, & School of Family and Consumer Sciences Need Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors impact the quality of life of US workers and increase risk for chronic disease. Declining employee health decreases worker productivity and increases health care costs. Employee Wellness Programs (EWPs) can play a significant role in fostering sustainable changes in employees’ health behaviors. Faced with shrinking state appropriations along with pressure to mitigate rising tuition and fees, universities can benefit by implementing affordable, high-quality, and sustainable EWPs to support employee health. What We Have Learned WellCats is cost-effective. Cost of developing, implementing, and evaluating WellCats is approximately $107 per participating employee per year. During the Pilot (Jan. 12-May 3, 2015) versus the same time period in 2014: No. of employees taking wellness leave  by 105. Total no. of wellness leave hours  by 949.9. No. of employees taking sick leave  by 70. Total sick leave hours  by -3,500.3. Total cost of sick leave  $90,636.3. WellCats improves health. All measures of fitness (except BMI) & psychological constructs improved in participants receiving Health-Behavior Change Coaching. WellCats does not reach all employees. Currently, 880 (~25%) of employees utilize WellCats Envisioning, Development, & Implementation Opportunity University settings are well-suited to offer EWPs as they have: Physical infrastructure Faculty and students engaged in health related research, field based teaching/learning, and service A human resources office that can coordinate and promote the program. Next Steps: Building a Culture of Health to Reach more Employees To create a workplace that supports the health of every employee, we must go beyond our successful EWP and address the multifaceted aspects of the university environment that impact employee health by developing a framework to assess, intervene, and evaluate efforts for fostering a Culture of Health within a university setting. Gap While the positive impact of theory-driven, comprehensive EWPs in a variety of settings is clear, there is surprisingly limited research in university settings. In short, there is a gap in the literature on how to plan, develop and implement a comprehensive university EWP. What is WellCats? Serves as a platform that offers research opportunities for Texas State faculty and students and access to a high-quality EWP for employees. Integrates and creates a synergy of teaching, research and service involving physical activity, nutrition, and health promotion. Services include: Behavior Change & Support: Health behavior change coaching group and one-on-one sessions Education/Awareness: Health risk appraisal and feedback, lunch ‘n learn sessions, weekly newsletters, and on-line resources Nutrition: Group cooking classes and individual nutrition consultation Physical Activity: Free Fridays @ the Student Recreation Center, group training classes (25/week), open swim and aqua fitness classes @ the Aqua Sports center, noon racquetball @ Jowers Center, fitness testing, subsidized Student Recreation Center membership, and a Zombie Challenge Filling the Gap In August 2014, the university provided seed money to fund the planning and development of an EWP to be fully implemented within 9 months. Based on theory and (limited) evidence, we developed a process by which a large university can leverage existing resources to plan, develop, and implement a comprehensive EWP. This process may serve as a guide for other universities. Funding Needs Administer Culture of Health instrument to assess current culture. Develop, implement, evaluate, and refine strategies for Building a Culture of Health at Texas State Evaluate theory fidelity Evaluate Value of Investment Develop a model and test in other University as well as preK-12 academic settings Research to Date Evidence-based research is one of the hallmarks of the mission of WellCats. It is the research conducted by the lead faculty and graduate students that drive the program vision and design. Member, Master's Thesis, "Envisioning and Analysis of a University Employee Wellness Program," Status: Completed. (2016). Department of Health and Human Performance. Student(s): Katherine Forester, Graduate Lloyd, L. K., Bezner, J. R., Crixell, S. L., Swearingen, C. C. (2016). Implementing a low-cost, high-quality employee wellness program in a university setting: How, when, where, and why. Paper presented at 26th Annual Art and Science of Health Promotion Conference, Orlando, FL, April 2016. Bezner, J. R., Franklin, K., Lloyd, L. K., Crixell, S. L. Group Health Behavior Change Coaching: Improving Physical Fitness and Related Psychological Constructs of Employees in a University Setting. In review: Preventive Medicine Reports.   Lloyd, L. K., Crixell, S. L., Bezner, J. R., Kathryn, F., Swearingen, C. C. Genesis of a Cost-effective Employee Wellness Program at a Large University. Revised and resubmitted to: Health Promotion Practice. Theoretical Framework The Social Ecological Model, which suggests that both social and environmental factors impact individual behavior, was foundational. Behavior change theory (Self- Determination Theory, Social Cognitive Theory, and the Transtheoretical Model), were used to develop strategies geared toward achieving long-term health behavior change. Behavioral Influences