Opinion: Wellness Programs Help Make City Healthier

John Pauly, provost of Marquette University, and David Werner, president of Park Bank,cited the County Health Rankings in an opinion article published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on July 16. Here is an excerpt from their article about promoting health through workplace wellness:

As provost of Marquette University and president of Park Bank, we know that it is our responsibility to create an environment that fosters and supports a culture of health within the workplace and in the neighborhoods where our employees live, work, learn and play.

In 2010, Milwaukee received the Well City USA-Silver designation from the Wellness Councils of America for its commitment to improving the health and well-being of the Milwaukee workforce through workplace wellness, making Milwaukee the largest city ever to receive this designation. Marquette University and Park Bank are proud champions of this effort and have had the honor and distinction of receiving the Gold Workplace Wellness Award from the Wellness Council of America.

However, based on the 2012 results of the County Health Rankings, we know that Milwaukee still has work to do to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to live his or her healthiest life.

The County Health Rankings, a collaborative project between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, illustrate that where we live, learn, work, play and worship has a tremendous impact on our health. Moreover, the rankings tell us that it takes community leaders working together to improve the health of our neighborhoods, workplaces, cities and counties.