BRG FIT! Total Health and Wellbeing

Lead Institution:

Baton Rouge General

Additional Partners:

East Baton Rouge Parish School System

Launchpad Award Date:

May 2022

“BRG FIT! Total Health and Wellbeing” is an integrated health and wellbeing program specifically tailored to meet the health needs of educators and teaching staff. This program brings preventive care and health education to local schools, so staff can access healthcare services and education support without having to leave the school grounds.

This pilot, led by Baton Rouge General in partnership with the East Baton Rouge School System, incorporates health risk assessments, nutrition education, functional mobility, and emotional health support to assist this important target population to increase their overall wellbeing and health status. The project also offers ongoing touch points such as coaching and care navigation, following the initial 90-day program, to help sustain healthy behavior changes achieved by participants. The teaching staff who participated in this health and wellbeing pilot project completed a preliminary assessment prior to the pilot project starting. The preliminary assessment indicated elevated risk for obesity, hypertension, and severe muscle impingement (which is a common cause of shoulder pain). By the end of the BRG FIT! Total Health and Wellbeing pilot project the teaching staff improved both their functional mobility and their range of motion. On average they demonstrated a 43% improvement in their flexibility, mobility, and ability to move freely and without pain. Positive behavior changes were also identified around nutrition and physical activity which overtime positively impacts obesity and hypertension risk.