MasterWellnessTraining.com

Prioritizing Program Initiatives

Introducing the Initiatives -
Attendees will discover all the initiatives of a wellness program so they can learn the complete wellness program consists of the recommended initiatives. Attendees will recognize these initiatives as strong recommendations for their program they will design. Attendees will actually begin to build their wellness program through this initial activity which becomes a foundation for future design and development.
Making the Budget -
Attendees will make a budget for their wellness program. They will learn the purpose of distinguishing the differences in costs and how the differences affect their budget. The emphasis on this activity is to focus on the various items that may be included within the design of their budget for future presentation to management.

Analyzing Agency Needs

Analyzing Wellness Program Needs -
Attendees will learn to analyze law enforcement agency wellness needs by discovering how to design a survey and to learn how to research available personnel information. The collection of this information is important to analyzing needs of the agency because it aids in delivering to program participants the type of program they want and need to maximize benefits.
Reporting Wellness Needs to Beneficiaries -
This activity will require the attendees to learn the importance of reporting the wellness needs to management, employee groups, and to outside support groups. In the future this important report will be seen by beneficiaries as the priority order of needs before the beginning of the wellness program.

Creating the Program

Selection of the Wellness Program Committee -
This learning activity requires attendees to learn to construct a committee of wellness program planners consisting of agency personnel. The purpose of designating committee members to the wellness program serves the purpose of adding organization to the wellness program. The importance of organization is critical as the wellness program progresses over time and structure to developmental changes take place.
Creation of a Wellness Program -
This activity provides an attendee an opportunity to create a unique wellness program based upon the particular needs of their agency. The wellness program they create will be used as the framework for the program they use when they return to their agency following the conclusion of this course. Along with previous learning activities which served as building blocks, this activity serves as the core of wellness program design.

Program Evaluation

Evaluate Reaction Stage -
To determine if the wellness program attendees created is meeting agency needs, they will create a testing strategy. This particular activity will require attendees to determine feedback for effectiveness, surveys, and quantitative information, to establish future performance.
Evaluate Learning Stage -
This particular activity will require attendees to measure the degree of change in knowledge, skills, and attitudes following the application of the wellness program. Pre and post tests as well as use of control groups are used to measure the degree of learning or progress.
Evaluate Behavior (transfer) Stage -
This particular activity will require attendees to measure the transfer of knowledge, skills, and attitudes applied to the employee’s workplace or to their total wellness following the program. With the use of control groups, questionnaires, and interviews, attendees will decide when and how often they will evaluate.
Evaluate Results Stage -
Attendees will measure cost versus return on investment of the wellness program to the law enforcement agency. With the use of control groups, comparing measurements before and after the program, and repeating measurements, attendees will decide when and how often they will evaluate.

Building Adherence

Barriers to Participating in Physical Activity pt. 1 & 2 -
Statistically, at least 80 percent of persons who begin an exercise program will drop out, at least 80 percent of persons who begin a diet will stop, and between 60 to 90 percent of those who attend a smoking cessation program will start smoking again. With the significance of this problem, it is not only important for the designer of the law enforcement wellness program to be aware of the statistics, but it is important to learn ways to increase the likelihood program participants can overcome barriers to living a healthy lifestyle. This learning activity provides the wellness program designer with alternatives to increase the probability program participants will adhere to wellness program activities.

Developing Incentives

Planning Incentives -
Existing wellness programs generally have incentives for employees for the purpose of creating interest, competition, and participation in the program. Given the numbers of persons who statistically drop out of fitness and nutrition programs, incentives can help to create short term interest for the employee to help them step into action to participate. This learning activity will enable the attendee to evaluate needs of persons who participate in a fitness and/or nutrition programs and recommend a wide array of incentives.
ADA and Discrimination Case Study -
Some wellness programs consist of physical fitness assessments that are associated with type of exercise, quantity or time of completion of an exercise, age and sex of participant, and sometimes a ranking. The achievement of above average rankings may be related to incentives such as bonus pay and time off. This type of assessment can typically be prevalent in a law enforcement wellness program as there is an emphasis on strength and endurance which goes hand in hand with the duties of those in the law enforcement. Given the use of these assessments, it is important for the wellness program designer to be cognizant of the possibility of claims that can be made by program participants that emerge due to violations of the American Disabilities Act (ADA) and discrimination laws. This activity will introduce the attendee to laws which they will learn the ramifications of so when they design their wellness program they can install features which can lessen the likelihood of such claims.

Developing Community Support

Selecting Community Partnerships -
The wellness program course designer will realize the outcome of merging with community partnerships will be the wellness program becomes more dynamic having additional experts to consult and assist in presenting the wellness program. These partnerships can develop into use of facilities, educational resources, and financial support. Some agencies, particularly that have limited resources will find building partnerships with outside organizations such as, fitness clubs, mental health/stress professionals, medical/health professionals, alcohol/chemical dependency organizations, weight/nutrition educators, and safety experts will add value to their wellness program.

Creating Program Presentation to Management

Writing Memorandums of Proposal Including Setting Goals -
Even though the employee’s wellness is the primary purpose of beginning a wellness program, the program also serves the law enforcement organization as a whole. Organizational benefits such as reducing absenteeism, organizational effectiveness, reduction of worker compensation claims, and heath care expense are just a few of the many benefits. Because of the potential impact a wellness program can have upon an organization and the resources necessary to successfully present the program, management support is required. To secure this support, wellness program designers begin by creating a written presentation for the program to agency administrators.