Question 2: Walk the Walk

Q: How can CMH better the health of its employees? Can each work day include some healthy activity or class? It definitely would help ensure we practice what we preach and help boost morale.

Response:
I am often reminded that when it comes to the CMH staff, we are the people we SERVE in the Healthy Black Family Project. In other words, many of the staff members were recruited and hired because they are part of the communities where health disparities exist. Strategies to “…better the health of …employees” include but are not limited to the following:

A. Join the HBFP, there is no charge. Most of the people engaged in HBFP have fulltime jobs … just like our staff. The HBFP classes are offered through the day, evenings and on Saturday.

B. If staff members do not want to participate in HBFP or cannot join for any reason, remember that all fulltime PITT staff have benefits from the UPMC Health Plan which also offers healthy lifestyle programs. The UPMC Health Plan services come as a benefit and at times with incentives for participation (see link below).
http://www.upmchealthplan.com/online/employers.html

Recently Mr. Mario Brown, CMH Project Director, created a team (Thomas' Promises) in response to a UPMC Health Plan campaign to address obesity through increasing physical activity. I encourage all staff to join this effort and I commend Mario for demonstrating leadership on this matter. (click below for details)

http://www.hr.pitt.edu/fitness/weightrace.htm


As Center Director I cannot “mandate” that staff join any of these programs. However, the opportunity and encouragement for CMH staff to engage in healthy lifestyles are literally all around us. Just Do It !!