INDIANA- The Indiana Chamber of Commerce and its Wellness Council of Indiana are urging businesses and organizations to engage with their local health departments as a statewide push begins to get Hoosiers healthier.
Health First Indiana, passed by the 2023 Indiana General Assembly, provides $225 million in funding over two years to county health departments to prioritize public health and safety.
To launch the engagement part of the initiative, which includes a pledge act, representatives from the Indiana Chamber joined the Indiana Department of Health for activities today during Public Health Day at the Statehouse.
“The Indiana Chamber and Wellness Council believe that health is wealth,” shares Indiana Chamber President and CEO Vanessa Green Sinders. “We applaud the state’s investment in its public health infrastructure through Health First Indiana, which will lead to a healthier Indiana and ultimately support the state’s ability to attract and retain business.”
Health First Indiana focuses on offering core public health services, including infant health, chronic disease prevention, trauma and injury prevention, and more.
“A healthy, thriving workforce is paramount to the prosperity of the state’s economy,” says State Health Commissioner Lindsay Weaver, M.D., FACEP. “I’m grateful for the partnership with the business community and for the leadership of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce in its support of Health First Indiana.”
The Indiana Chamber views the aspiration of having healthy and prosperous communities and citizens so vital that it’s one of the six pillars of its recently released long-term visioning plan for the state, Indiana Prosperity 2035. Two of the organization’s long-term goals are to reduce smoking levels to less than 15% of the state’s population and obesity levels to less than 20%.
The Indiana Chamber and Wellness Council are willing partners to help turn the tide.
“We are big proponents of investing in our health today instead of paying more down the road,” offers Wellness Council of Indiana Executive Director Jennifer Pferrer. “We have a tremendous opportunity to make thoughtful, strategic improvements in health care and transform from one of the least healthy populations to a state clearly moving in the right direction. Health First Indiana is such an important driver in changing the culture of health in the state.”
Sinders adds, “The Indiana Chamber wants to see Indiana rise even higher on the list of best places for businesses to operate and for people to live, work and visit. To get there, we must get healthier as a state and be willing to walk the talk.”
Businesses are encouraged to be part of the process and take the Health First Indiana Pledge. This entails establishing a series of goals intended to create community partnerships through collaboration and communication with local health departments and more.
Employers can find additional information on the Health First Indiana Pledge Act at www.indianachamber.com/healthfirst, while further details on the overall initiative are available at www.healthfirstindiana.in.gov.
