Ohio University understands and values that individual health and wellbeing is key to our community's success and productivity. Employees are encouraged to utilize the various resources available to them.
Mental Well-being
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Employee Assistance Program
Ohio University's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Work/Life program is offered through Impact Behavioral Health Care Services. Features counseling, crisis intervention, and coaching in areas of finance, parenting, time management, eating disorders, grief, LGBT issues, work concerns and work/life balance. Use company code "ohiou" to create a new account.
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Psychology and Social Work Clinic
The Psychology and Social Work Clinic offers individual, group, couples, marital, and family therapy, along with parenting assistance and screenings or assessments related to dementia, ADHD, learning disabilities, neuropsychology, and cognitive and intellectual ability. They are in network with a number of popular insurance programs and provide up front information about their fees.
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Healthy Breaks
If you are struggling to take time out for yourself right now, try viewing wellness as a special treat that you get to enjoy throughout any given day. This mindset can help make it easier to adopt lifelong healthy habits. Start small by trying out a few 5-, 10-, and 15-minute healthy break ideas.
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Self Care Assessment
The web-based worksheet linked here can be used for assessing self-care. This survey is not exhaustive, merely suggestive. Feel free to add areas of self care that are relevant to you and rate yourself on how often and how well you are taking care of yourself these days. Responses are anonymous and you can opt to have your results emailed to you.
Physical Well-being
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Mindful Eating
In this 6-module program, you will not only learn the foundations of Mindful Eating, but also how to use these concepts when eating for your best health, eating out, and meal planning. As a participant, you will look at the reasons why you eat and gain the tools, skills, and support you need to avoid emotional eating. You will learn to listen to your body’s cues and how to best respond them. Facilitated by Louise Cruz RDN, LD
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Practical Nutrition
We find that many people know what they are “supposed to do” when it comes to nutrition, but not how to do it in a way that fits their lifestyle. Practical Nutrition will provide you with the “how” that you have been looking for. You will learn new skills and get fresh ideas to improve your nutrition intake. You will also walk away with delicious recipes to try with your family.
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Health Navigator
Navigating health care can be confusing! Health Navigator provides: education and guidance for medical questions; assistance in navigating the health care system; and access to an expansive advisory network. Experienced advisors serve as your health care guides and educators for your questions about medication, diagnoses, appointments, medical procedures and more.
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Online Telehealth Resources
Ohio University's benefit partners, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Impact Solutions, have online and telehealth resources available. Telehealth visits through Anthem LiveHealth Online or other telehealth technologies used by physicians in the Anthem network are available to benefits-participating employees/spouses/partners.
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Diabetes Prevention and Education
The Diabetes Institute offers diabetes education and prevention classes in a combination of virtual and in-person group settings. Whether you have been diagnosed with diabetes or told you have prediabetes, these programs will help you gain the knowledge, skills and confidence you need to prevent or manage diabetes.
Additional Physical Well-being Resources
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General Employee Discounts
Ohio University employees can enjoy discounts on products and services such as:
- Cell Phone Plans with AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint
- Paint from Sherwin Williams
- Parking at Columbus Airport
- Technology (at Bobcat Depot)
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Discount Marketplace
Gain access to exclusive discounts to a variety of common purchases such as hotel stays, movie tickets, home decor, appliances, vehicles, groceries, flowers, apparel, technology, and more. You can also explore live and pre-recorded videos on common wellbeing topics such as movement, fuel, recovery, and stress management.
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Professional Development Pathways
Professional Development Pathways provides tools, guidance, and learning opportunities for employees and supervisors who want to invest in talent development and career growth. Through this program, competencies (knowledge, skills, and behaviors) required for success are clearly defined, specially-designed training and pathway programs add structure and excitement to the development journey, and meaningful development discussions and on-the-job learning experiences are encouraged.
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Educational Benefits
Ohio University is proud to provide access to educational benefits that support professional and educational goals. The benefit covers the instructional fee portion of tuition and is pro-rated if the employee is part-time. Non-residency fees, if applicable, are also waived for eligible employees. General fees may be waived on a course by course basis for course work which is directly related to the employee’s current position.
Social Well-being
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University Ombudsperson
The university ombudsperson is a confidential, neutral, and informal resource available to assist any member of the university community.
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Employee Involvement
OHIO is home to various involvement opportunities for faculty and staff including programming, university senates, affinity organizations, and professional development programs.
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Virtual Involvement Center
Keep Athens close to your heart and stay engaged with these virtual activities that can be done from home! Have fun solo, with your family at home, or over the internet with your faraway friends.
Additional Social/Community Resources
Environmental Well-being
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Workplace Ergonomics
Learning best practices for a safe and healthy work environment can improve your mood, well-being and productivity. Those who sit at a desk can assess their keyboard and monitor placement. Those on their feet should examine their movement and lifting practices.
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Environmental Sustainability
Ohio University strives to be a national leader in environmental sustainability within higher education. Learn more about institutional efforts surrounding sustainability to be a contributor to institutional and regional sustainability actions.
WellWorks has expanded their wellness center to include virtual memberships. After all, it's not their physical space that makes them awesome, it's their members! Employees who use SSO receive a 30% discount ($7/month)!
WellWorks Virtual Wellbeing Memberships
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Massage Therapy
You deserve a massage. The WellWorks licensed massage therapist can help you: get relief from muscle pain and soreness; alleviate stress, and; detoxify—both mentally and physically. Services range from deep tissue to isometric stretching and relaxation. Massages are open to anyone and conveniently located in Grover Center on the Athens campus.
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Nutrition Counseling
As life changes, so do eating habits. WellWorks can help! Whether you're focused on management of chronic disease, recovery from disordered eating, navigating food allergies and sensitivities, sports nutrition, or weight management, Louise Cruz RDN, LD can guide you to make healthy food choices that fit in to your traditions, culture and lifestyle.
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Wellness Coaching
Your goals are important. Sometimes, though, it can be difficult to organize your values, beliefs, priorities and goals to help you create a strong vision of the direction you need to go next. When you've reached a point in your journey when you could use a little extra support, Wellness Coaching can help you process your thoughts to identify your goals and needs.
Benefits Eligible Employees
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100 Day Challenge
Any University employee who is eligible to receive benefits through the University and the spouse or partner of that individual is able to participate in the WellWorks 100 Day Challenge. Eligible members who obtain 100 visits (limit 1 per day) in a single year will receive an annual Facility Membership. This is a taxable benefit paid for by Human Resources.
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Risk Reduction
The Risk Reduction program introduces participants to the foundations of an active lifestyle and the fundamentals of movement, fuel and rest for wellbeing. The program includes weekly cohort meetings, physical activity support, educational materials, sessions with the WellWorks Nutrition Counselor and program-specific yoga classes.
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Practical Nutrition
We find that many people know what they are “supposed to do” when it comes to nutrition, but not how to do it in a way that fits their lifestyle. Practical Nutrition will provide you with the “how” that you have been looking for. You will learn new skills and get fresh ideas to improve your nutrition intake. You will also walk away with delicious recipes to try with your family.
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Mindful Eating
In this 6-module program, you will not only learn the foundations of Mindful Eating, but also how to use these concepts when eating for your best health, eating out, and meal planning. As a participant, you will look at the reasons why you eat and gain the tools, skills, and support you need to avoid emotional eating. You will learn to listen to your body’s cues and how to best respond them. Facilitated by Louise Cruz RDN, LD
Benefits Participating Employees
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Employee Assistance Program
Ohio University's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Work/Life program is offered through Impact Behavioral Health Care Services. The EAP is available to all Ohio University employees and their family members. Features include health care referrals, telehealth services, and personalized medical guidance.
Healthy OHIO
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Biometric Health Screenings
Knowing your biometric health data - such as waist circumference, cholesterol, BMI, blood pressure and A1C blood glucose - can help you stay on top of your long-term wellbeing. By understanding trends in your health data and utilizing support resources and interventions, you can ensure you have the ability to live all of life's adventures. Participants must be enrolled in Virgin Pulse in FY24 to earn the $60 financial incentive.
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Mobile Wellbeing
Eligible participants can earn up to $200 per year (up to $50 quarterly) when they use the online/mobile wellness platform for customized engagement opportunities. Whether you’re looking to improve your financial well-being, focus on your fitness or spend more time with your pets, Virgin Pulse can help you define and meet your unique wellness goals.
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Wellness Champions
Wellness Champions are Ohio University employees who wish to help their colleagues define, support and achieve wellness goals. We understand that wellness is a unique journey for each individual and every department on campus has different opportunities for wellness in the workplace. That's why we need advocates across all of our campuses!
Interpreting Health Screening Results
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Interpret Numbers and Find Support
If you participated in a health screening this year, you may have some questions about what your numbers mean and what support might exist. Check out the resources currently available to employees, spouses and partners.