15 – Cultivating Collaboration: Pekin Park District’s Experience Adopting a Health and Wellness Policy

In January 2021, Pekin Park District partnered with the local health department, Tazewell County Health Department, and a statewide nonprofit, the Illinois Public Health Institute, to develop a comprehensive health and wellness policy. Following the mission to improve the quality of life for the district’s residents, Pekin Park District anticipates this policy will solidify the continued dedication to the health and wellness of the employees, community, and environment. We would like to share the process of developing this policy, introduce it to staff members, and present the preliminary outcomes and lessons learned. We will also share resources with attendees should they be interested in developing their own policies.
Learning Outcomes:
- Increase awareness of the benefits of health and wellness policies, including increased interorganizational collaboration.
- Increase awareness of the process of developing a health and wellness policy, and the resources available to support these efforts.