State employee wellness program; definitions; rules; creation of model program; designation of coordinator; state wellness councils.

Miss. Code Ann. § 41-97-9
in effect
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Definitions. In this section: “Department”means the Mississippi Department of Health. “StateHealth Officer” means the Executive Director of the MississippiDepartment of Health. “Stateagency” means a department, institution, commission or otheragency that is in the executive, judicial or legislative branch ofstate government. “Stateemployee” means a state employee who participates in the stateand school employees health insurance plan under Section 25-15-3 et seq. Rules.The StateBoard of Health is authorized to adopt rules for the administrationof this section. Creation of modelprogram; designation of coordinator. The departmentmay designate a statewide wellness coordinator to create and developfor use by state agencies a model statewide wellness program to improvethe health and wellness of state employees.The wellness programmay include: Education thattargets the most costly or prevalent health care claims, includinginformation addressing stress management, nutrition, healthy eatinghabits, alcohol and drug abuse, physical activity, disease prevention,and smoking cessation; The disseminationor use of available health risk assessment tools and programs, includingsurveys that identify an employee’s risk level for health-relatedproblems and programs that suggest to employees methods for minimizingrisks; The developmentof strategies for the promotion of health, nutritional and fitness-relatedresources in state agencies; The developmentand promotion of environmental change strategies that integrate healthybehaviors and physical activity, including recommending healthy foodchoices in snack bars, vending machines and state-run cafeterias locatedin state buildings; and Optional incentivesto encourage participation in the wellness program, including providingflexibility in employee scheduling to allow for physical activityand participation in the wellness program and coordinating discountswith gyms and fitness centers across the state. The statewidewellness coordinator is authorized to: Coordinate withthe State and School Employees Health Insurance Management Board andother agencies that administer a health benefits program as necessaryto develop the model wellness program, prevent duplication of efforts,provide information and resources to employees, and encourage theuse of wellness benefits included in the health benefits program; Maintain a setof Internet links to health resources for use by state employees; Design an outreachcampaign to educate state employees about health and fitness-relatedresources, including available exercise facilities, online tools,and health and fitness-related organizations; Study the implementationand participation rates of state agency worksite wellness programsand report the findings to the Legislature biennially; and Organize an annualconference hosted by the department for all state agency wellnesscouncils. The statewidewellness coordinator may consult with a state agency operating healthcare programs on matters relating to wellness promotion. A state agencyshall designate an employee to serve as the wellness liaison betweenthe agency and the statewide wellness coordinator. A state agencymay implement a wellness program based on the model program or componentsof the model program developed under this section. The statewidewellness coordinator may assist a state agency in establishing employeewellness demonstration projects that incorporate best practices forencouraging employee participation and the achievement of wellnessbenefits.A wellness program demonstration project may implementstrategies to optimize the return of state investment in employeewellness, including savings in direct health care costs and savingsfrom preventing conditions and diagnoses through better employee wellness. State agencywellness councils. A state agencymay facilitate the development of a wellness council composed of employeesand managers of the agency to promote worksite wellness in the agency. A wellness councilmay work to: Increase employeeinterest in worksite wellness; Develop and implementpolicies to improve agency infrastructure to allow for increased worksitewellness; and Involve employeesin worksite wellness programs. Members of awellness council may review the recommendations of the statewide wellnesscoordinator and develop a plan to implement the recommendations. A state agencymay allow its employees to participate in wellness council activitiesfor two (2) to three (3) hours each month. The departmentshall provide technical support to each state agency wellness counciland shall provide financial support to councils if funds are available. A wellness councilmay annually identify best practices for worksite wellness in theagency and report the practices to the statewide wellness coordinator. A state agencymay allow all employees to attend on-site wellness seminars when offered.

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