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1. NC Healthy Worksites:
Our past, present and future
Meg van Staveren, MPH, RD
Worksite Wellness Unit Manager
Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch
NC Division of Public Health, DHHS

2. North Carolina by the numbers
9.3 million
Central/Piedmont
53,865 sq. miles
West/Mountains East/Coastal
10th most populated state
40% live in rural areas

3. North Carolina rankings
17th
in adult inactivity
10th in adult obesity
11th in child obesity
8th lowest in adult intake
fruit/vegetable

4. Physical Activity & Nutrition Branch
• Housed within the Chronic Disease and Injury
Section, NC Division of Public Health, NC
Department of Health and Human Services
• Mission: Reverse the rising tide of obesity and
chronic disease among North Carolinians by
helping them to eat smart, move more and achieve
a healthy weight.
• Supported by federal, state and private
grants/funds
• Worksite Wellness is one of seven Branch Units

5. NC Worksites: Our Past
17 public universities
36 state agencies
58
community 115
colleges local school
systems

6. NC Worksites: Our Past
Annual contract with the NC State Health Plan
– 2004/05: Developed NC HealthSmart Worksite
Wellness Toolkit
– 2005/06: Toolkit dissemination and training
– 2006/07: Technical assistance program launched
– 2007/09: Continued Toolkit training and technical
assistance; developed and launched pilot program
for school worksites

7. NC Worksites: Our Past
Worksite Tools:
http://EatSmartMoveMoreNC.com/Worksites.html

8. NC Worksites: Our Past
• Distributed 1200 printed toolkits
• Online toolkits available
• Trained 600+ individuals
• Technical activities included:
– Bi-monthly newsletters
– Site visits
– Webinars/conference calls
– Distributing sample policies and liability waivers
– Creating additional resources such as turnkey programs
• Conducted annual survey to identify
successes/barriers and technical assistance needs

9. NC Worksites: Our Past
• Changing scenery in early 2009
– NC State Health Plan and State budget shortfalls
– New legislation April 2009 (Session Law 2009-16)
• Health benefits for Plan members will be based upon their
current tobacco use (July 1, 2010) and weight status (July 1,
2011)
• New priorities
– Statewide Wellness Coordinator within NC Office of
State Personnel
– Our scope of work shifted to focus on healthy weight

10. NC Worksites: Our Present
Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less
• Weight loss/maintenance curriculum based upon
the theory of planned behavior, integrated with
evidence-based strategies and social support
• Developed for use in the worksite/community
setting
• Launched statewide in 2008 with 200+ trained
instructors from local health departments and
cooperative extension agents
• Also piloted in state worksites
www.ESMMWeighLess.com

11. NC Worksites: Our Present
Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less for State Employees
• Contract between NC State Health Plan and NC
Agricultural Foundation, NC State University
• Implemented by PAN Branch & NC Cooperative
Extension
• Addresses Session Law 2009-16
• Current delivery method provides dedicated instructors in
five counties with greatest number of state employees, cost
and class size are controlled, evaluation is emphasized
• 141 classes provided since August 2009
• Testimonials are available

12. NC Worksites: Our Present
Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less for State
Employees
• Contract amended in August 2010 to also
include:
– Developing and testing an online, real-time
delivery method
– Developing a self-directed weight maintenance
curriculum

13. NC Worksites: Our Present
CPPW funding, February 2010 – January 2012
• Utilized NC Institute of Medicine’s Prevention
Action Plan to guide our application
• Prevention Action Plan Recommendation 12.3:
1. Creation of a statewide collaborative that would offer
technical assistance and certification for implementing
comprehensive worksite wellness programs
2. Incentives in the absence of federal level policies

14. NC Worksites: Our Present
Three main elements in the funded application:
1. Formalizing the Worksite Wellness Collaborative
which will develop recommendations, engage state-
level decision makers and recommend an assessment
tool to measure the impact of worksite wellness policy
on employee health
2. Developing a mechanism to provide businesses with
tools, resources and technical assistance to implement
comprehensive worksite wellness programs
3. Provide local business and community leaders with
educational opportunities, a media campaign and
advocacy training

15. NC Worksites: Our Present
Where we are to date:
• Technical staff:
1. Dr. Laura Linnan, Professor, UNC-Chapel Hill
Gillings School of Global Public Health
2. Dr. Joyce Young, Well Being Director, IBM
3. Dr. David Chenoweth, Director, Chenoweth &
Associates
• CDC expertise: Jason Lang, Team Lead
for Worksite Health Promotion

16. NC Worksites: Our Present
Where we are to date:
• Initial Collaborative buy in:
Office of the Governor, NC Department of
Commerce, NC Chamber of Commerce, NC Office of
State Personnel, NC Division of Public Health, NC
State Health Plan, NC League of Municipalities, NC
Health and Wellness Trust Fund, Kate B. Reynolds
Charitable Trust, NC Prevention Partners and others
• Completed a policy inventory and policy brief of
existing state legislation

17. NC Worksites: Our Present
Where we are to date:
• Launched a statewide survey of NC businesses
1. Gage awareness and perception of worksite wellness
terminology and concepts
2. Reveal current practices
3. Identify early adopters
4. Identify trusted resources for business information
5. Inform the development of media messages to support
the Worksite Wellness Collaborative efforts

18. NC Worksites: Our Future
Where we are heading:
• Developing a branding campaign, WorkWell NC, and
associated logo, graphics, and web landing pages
• Develop a long-term sustainability plan for WorkWell NC
to addresses marketing needs, fiscal planning, monitoring
and evaluation, and selection of tools, resources, and
service vendors
• Develop a media messaging campaign to support
WorkWell NC
• Preparing for a statewide summit and six business
education trainings

19. Contact:
Meg van Staveren, MPH, RD
Worksite Wellness Manager
Worksite Wellness Unit
Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch
NC Division of Public Health, DHHS
1915 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1915
Email: meg.vanstaveren@dhhs.nc.gov
Phone: 919.707.5219
Fax: 919.870.4804
www.NCPANBranch.com