Date of News Release: Thursday, March 23, 2006

HealthWorks Occupational Health Services is located at NYCAMH, and is committed to enhancing rural occupational health through a number of programs. Part of this mission is the Rural Partners Healthy Heart Program. This 5-year initiative is funded by a grant from the NYS Department of Health. The goal is to encourage and support heart-healthy work environments.

The program will focus specifically on encouraging employees to increase their level of physical activity and heart-healthy nutrition through organizational-wide interventions. Making positive changes in these two lifestyle behaviors can have a significant effect in reducing one’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease (including heart disease and stroke).

Examples of organizational-wide interventions include creation of a walking path or route, and having a written policy to include healthy food choices at meetings.

Working adults spend a large portion of their time at the worksite, and if that environment supports heart-healthy choices, both the employees and the worksites will reap the benefits.

To be eligible for this free program, an employer must have at least 25 employees and be located within the 8-county Bassett Healthcare region. Please call 1-800-323-7527 for additional information.