Oneida County Honored for Workplace Wellness Excellence

Awarded by MVP Health Care for Innovation & Achievement

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today that the county’s workplace wellness program has been recognized for its excellence by MVP Health Care.

Oneida County received the 2019 MVP Health Care Workplace Well-Being Innovation Award and attained Platinum Level Achievement status for its commitment to workplace well-being.

“The health and well-being of our hard-working 1,600 county employees is paramount,” Picente said. “Our Employee Wellness Committee has done an excellent job over the past few years to establish a comprehensive and robust workplace well-being program, and I couldn’t be prouder that MVP Health Care has found it to be the most innovative across two states. I commend our Director of Health Phyllis Ellis and the committee members for this lofty accomplishment.”

The county’s Employee Wellness program was born out of a 2015 initiative Picente instituted to foster innovation across county departments. Implemented by the Health Department, it has since led to the launch of a lunch hour walking series throughout the community, a weekly email newsletter, volunteer projects, and it has even had a hand in making all Oneida County facilities tobacco and smoke free.

“Under the leadership of County Executive Picente, our Employee Wellness Program has grown into something truly remarkable,” Director of Health Phyllis Ellis said. “The program has placed a focus on inclusivity and has made a conscious effort to practice cultural competency by creating a diverse set of experiences to appeal to people of all ages and interests. This is particularly true of our walking program, of which the planned excursions are focused on the local landscape and appreciating what is unique about our surroundings.”

The inaugural MVP Health Care Awards were distributed to various companies, non-profit organizations and government agencies across New York and Vermont that have an MVP-sponsored commercial plan, including fully-insured and self-funded employers who also participate in the organization’s “Work Well, Live Well” program.

“MVP Health Care applauds Oneida County for the work they are doing to successfully implement a strategy that encourages employees to live a healthy lifestyle and make healthy choices,” said Augusta Martin, MVP Health Care’s Senior Leader for Business Development and Portfolio Strategy. “We are so proud to provide this recognition of innovation to Oneida County not only for their commitment to support the holistic wellness of their staff, but to their entire community.”