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April 18, 2024

April showers can bring May flowers. This quarter’s newsletter is bringing you some new ideas to plant and see what can grow with your wellness efforts.

Register for the “Creating a Culture of Health” Webinar Series

The Minnesota Department of Health Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) is introducing a six part series to share the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being. This framework lays the foundation for workplaces to examine and take action to change culture within their organizations.

Join MDH for one hour every two weeks this spring and summer to learn more about the framework and each of the foundational elements. You’ll receive an overview of each element and learn practical steps to introduce this information to your wellness committee and/or leadership team. You will also receive a leader’s guide with six PowerPoint presentations (15-20 minutes long).

Dates: The first webinar will be held on May 29. Future webinars will be on June 12, June 26, July 10, July 24, and Aug. 7.

Time: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Register for the Creating a Culture of Health Webinar Series here.

Newcomer Health Resources Available

The Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs offers a website in four languages to assist immigrants, asylees, refugees or people new to the state to find health resources. Resources include clothing and household items, consulate, education, employment and labor rights, food shelves, health care options, housing and shelter, identification services, legal services, transportation, and warming center information.

Visit Information for Newcomers.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

While mental health is important to address year-round, Mental Health Awareness Month provides a dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to join their voices to broadcast the message that mental health matters. 

MDH has created a messaging toolkit that includes ideas and resources to raise awareness around mental health and suicide prevention. It includes key messages organized around five weekly themes that can be used for emails, newsletter content, social media posts, images, as well as additional resources to supplement existing activities. Help promote well-being activities and tag your positive initiatives using #YouMatterMN.

New Minnesota Safe and Sick Time Law

Effective Jan. 1, 2024, Minnesota earned sick and safe time law requires employer to provide paid leave to employees who work in the state. Learn more from the Department of Labor and Industry about the new earned sick and safe time. 

Healthy Eating at Work

Did you know the average person makes 200 food related decisions daily and most of those decisions are made during the workday? Each decision made throughout the day can lead to decisions fatigue. Creating a work environment that supports making the healthy choice the easy choice can support employee health.

There are a variety of options that can help create a healthy food environment including pricing options in vending machines and cafeterias, and policies that encourage healthy foods at meetings and events. But what if your workplace doesn’t have vending machines or a cafeteria? Try implementing a healthy food and beverage station.

A healthy food and beverage station can include a small refrigerator with healthy snacks and beverages for employees to purchase at a minimal price. Snacks can include fruits and vegetables, string cheese, hard boiled eggs, and water.

Would you like to learn more about how to incorporate a healthy snack station and other workplace wellness strategies, check out the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP).  

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