Agency News
Agency News
VADOC Recognizes Employee Health and Wellness Week
August 21, 2024
The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) is designating the week of August 19-August 23 as Employee Health and Wellness Week to highlight the importance of correctional team members making their health and wellness a priority.
The Employee Health and Wellness department will provide a variety of activities for staff throughout the week and encourage VADOC facilities, district offices and employee departments to create activities that promote aspects of wellness, including physical health, mental health and financial health.
VADOC's Employee Health and Wellness (EHW) Unit launched in 2022 to promote a safe work environment that protects the health and wellness of VADOC employees and help advance the Department's mission of ensuring long-term public safety across the state. The EHW Unit also provides employees with education, programs and resources tailored to their health and wellness needs.
“The Virginia Department of Corrections is Virginia's largest state agency, so it is paramount that we ensure all employees have the support and resources they need to fulfill their roles as great public servants,” said VADOC Director Chad Dotson. “The Employee Health and Wellness Unit does a great job partnering with our employees to ensure they are well-prepared for life both at work and at home.”
The mission of the Employee Health and Wellness department is to coordinate and deliver innovative, evidence-based, holistic health and wellness presentations, trainings and events that promote healthy lifestyles and well-being. The department embraces eight different dimensions of wellness: emotional, intellectual, physical, social, economic, spiritual, occupational and environmental.
“We are encouraging our correctional team to prioritize health and wellness this week and every week,” said Carrie Baines, Senior Health and Wellness Coordinator. “I can speak from personal experience: finding the time to focus on overall wellness while juggling family and work responsibilities can be a challenge. We hope EHW Week will inspire employees to incorporate wellness throughout their day by making small changes.”
Throughout the year, the Employee Health and Wellness Unit provides weekly challenges, activities, presentations and resources to more than 11,000 VADOC employees across the Commonwealth.
