A study conducted annually by the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute has ranked Saratoga County as the top healthiest county in New York state.
The study is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In 2013 an 2014, Saratoga County ranked number 5, as well as ranking number 3 for health outcomes in 2015.
“We want to applaud everyone in our community that has done something positive in their jobs or in their personal lives to make our county and themselves healthier,” said Susan Halstead of Family Vision Care Center, chairwoman of the Chamber’s Health and Wellness Council. “Being the number 1 healthiest county in all of New York state is something we can all be proud of because it represents the work and commitment to wellness of so many organizations and people.”
In 2013, the board of directors authorized the formation of the Health and Wellness Council. In 2014, the council decided to celebrate June as Employee Wellness Month. They organized a series of #healthysaratoga events. The council’s mission statement for the #healthysaratoga movement is “Ensure Saratoga County is one of the healthiest places to live and work.”
Since that time, the council created a new Health & Wellness Week in January; the #healthysaratoga HORSE Basketball Challenge in March; a set of events to celebrate Employee Wellness Month in June; and a #healthysaratoga silent disco in October.
The council created a #healthysaratoga pledge program that now has 125 companies as signatories. Each has agreed to take action to ensure Saratoga County is one of the healthiest places to live and work.
BlueShield of Northeastern New York was one of the first partners to approach the Chamber offering to help the council. Since early in 2014, BlueShield has been a major sponsor and participant in the initiative.
"As a proud partner in the #healthysaratoga initiative, we were thrilled to learn of Saratoga's standing as the healthiest county in New York," said Dr. Kirk Panneton, BlueShield's regional executive and medical director. "The Chamber should be commended for opening doors to good health for the residents and employers of Saratoga."
The Adirondack Trust Co. has also been a leading contributor to this effort, Chamber officials noted. In 2016, The bank became a major sponsor of the #healthysaratoga movement.
According to Halstead, the work of the #healthysaratoga movement is not over. "Getting to number 1 in New York state shows progress and is worthy of celebration. Now we hope to expand the #healthysaratoga movement and to inspire even more people and companies to achieve health and wellness goals so that Saratoga County will become one of the healthiest places to live and work in all of the country," she said.
For more information on the #healthysaratoga movement, visit www.saratoga.org/healthy-saratoga.