R.I. state government among<br> WELCOA’s 2006 ‘Well Workplaces’

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PROVIDENCE – The state government has been honored by the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA) as a Well Workplace, for its “Get Fit, Rhode Island!” employee wellness and exercise program, Gov. Donald L. Carcieri said yesterday.

Rhode Island’s is the second state government to receive WELCOA recognition and the only one this year.

In 2006, WELCOA gave 127 Well Workplace Awards – 10 platinum, 58 gold, 22 silver, 31 bronze and six small-business awards – to companies and organizations, representing 432,553 employees.

Rhode Island organizations, including the state government, took 14 awards, or 11 percent of the national total. One platinum, five gold, six silver and two bronze Well Workplaces were honored in the Ocean State. Beacon Mutual Insurance Co., the state’s largest workers’ compensation insurer, took the platinum.

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The Get Fit initiative is co-chaired by Suzanne Carcieri, the state’s first lady, and David Gifford, the state health director. The program is “empowering state employees by bringing wellness opportunities into the workplace,” the governor said.

“Changing the habits of people does not happen overnight and it’s not easy,” Carcieri continued. “But in one year, Get Fit, Rhode Island! has made a difference in the lives of many employees.”

Officials initially had aimed to achieve bronze-level certification, his office said, but surpassed that level, winning a silver award. Several departments of state government had applied to the program separately.

Ocean State government and business leaders are pursuing the first Well State certification. For Rhode Island to win that designation, companies employing at least 20 percent of the state’s workers must be certified as Well Workplaces. That effort is “on track,” the governor’s office said.

The University of Rhode Island, a partner in the Get Fit, Rhode Island! initiative, has established a Center for Research and Education both to assist the state and to improve the health of all Rhode Islanders. Initially, the center plans to focus on diet, exercise and stress reduction, and incorporate various health resources and assessment tools into a new Web site.

Additional information is available at www.governor.ri.gov and at www.welcoa.org.

2006 Well Workplace Award Winners in Rhode Island

Platinum


The Beacon Mutual Insurance Co., 246 workers

Gold

AAA Southern New England, 1,450
St. Joseph Health Services / Rhode Island, 1,995
EDS, 110
Taco Inc., 502
GTECH, 2,981

Silver

RDW Group Inc., 85
Lifespan / Working Healthy, 10,079
Gateway Healthcare Inc., 725
Bryant University, 700
R.I. Department of Business Regulation, 102
State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations, 18,995

Bronze

South County Hospital, 922
Hasbro Inc., 1,037

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