Health/Wellness Programs: Main Planning Steps
By: Thomas Pruski

A Health Ministry is ministry deeply rooted in the religious writings and faith tradition of many denominations. A health ministry promotes healing, health and wellness among the members of the congregations as well as among the people in the surrounding community. It is a cooperative effort that may include congregants interested in health and wholeness, hospitals and other community agencies in the community. 

Many congregations may already have health and wellness activities under way, but an organized, dedicated congregational health and wellness program usually includes a health and wellness leader or team who assist individuals and groups in the congregation to meet their needs related to health. Congregational health and wellness team in collaboration with other volunteers help to guide the health and wellness programs and activities of the congregation.

Here are the main planning steps for a long-term health and wellness program. The steps are adaptable as to order.

1. Understand the issues .

Many faiths call us to healing, restoring people to wholeness. Healing is as much a part of congregational life in worship as it is to the way we live our lives.

Congregational communities become more vital and enlivened when congregants are mobilized to care for one another in a health and wellness program.

Today, hospitals continue to treat the most acutely ill people in our society. To the large population of people who are the "worried well," there is not much emphasis placed on maintaining healthy living through health promotion and prevention. Too many people are falling between the cracks in institutional health care today. The present situation urges local (congregational) communities to assume a significant role in managing the health of its people.

Up to 70% of health outcomes are within the control of individuals and the community.

The church is the only institution to represent all socio-economic strata of people from birth to death. Furthermore, the people trust the church more so than they do a health care institution. Trust is the starting place for making changes in unhealthy behaviors.

Educate yourself on the topic and issues surrounding health and wellness (concept, liability, etc.) Ask the following:

• What are my concerns for its development in the congregation? Is the congregation ready for this idea?
• Does my pastor/rector know about the clear benefits of health and wellness for him/her and the congregation?
• Do I know who the ministerial leaders in my congregation are? How do they incorporate spirituality, health and wellness into their current activities or service? How can a health and wellness ministry benefit their work and provide greater support for them? Think about the type of health and wellness model that might be best for your congregation for its present needs as well as the future.

2. Present the concept to the congregational community .

Congregational leadership should present an overview of the health and wellness program to the congregants and invite participation. This can be facilitated by a presentation during the liturgy, a presentation at a congregational meeting or an announcement in the congregational bulletin or newsletter.

An alternative approach is to begin by inviting a small group within the congregation to develop a health team before extending the invitation to the congregation at large.

3. Assemble a Health Team .
Congregants are invited to form a health team. Congregations with a computer database might select healthcare givers to be invited to form the team. Initially, this team might oversee only one activity (e.g., support groups for care givers, a monthly blood pressure screening, a workshop on stress). If the timing seems right, a more ambitious plan can be set forth.

4. Assess the assets and needs of the congregational community .

As with all effective health and wellness initiatives, a response to genuine needs with a health assessment should be carried out to determine needs within the congregational community. In many instances, congregational leadership will have a fairly good understanding of what these needs are. Nevertheless, it is suggested that, early on in the process, an assessment instrument be utilized for a more careful verification.

Results of the assessment are analyzed by the health team in preparation for designing a strategic plan.

Taking an inventory of your congregation's assets and needs helps you and the health team to see your congregation's needs as well as the gifts and talents of its members. Congregations can begin to take note of the disparities that exist and then start to think about initiatives and ways to access resources.

5. Prepare a congregational health plan .

The health plan should include:

• A statement of mission
• Goals and objectives
• A timeline
• A listing of available resources (personnel & material)

The health plan is presented to congregational leadership and, in turn, to the full congregational community.

6. Develop a volunteer corps .

Develop a recruitment process/strategy. This may include personal invitations to indicated persons, which is the best type of recruitment, an announcement during liturgy, or a bulletin invitation.

Design a process for screening volunteers. This may include an application form, a reference check and/or interview with pastor or his delegate, and the ability to maintain confidentiality.

Provide training for the volunteers. As the health and wellness program progresses, it might be indicated to send some volunteers for special workshops for designated, specific tasks they are asked to perform.

Delegate a coordinator in the Health Team to regularly monitor and provide support for volunteers

It is very important to establish support structures for volunteers. Healthy support encourages longer commitment and enhances productivity.

A key to sustaining volunteers is to provide adequate support, training and reflection for their experience. Validating the volunteers experience is invaluable for personal, communal and spiritual maturation.

7. Cultivate a support network .

The leader and health team will need to have a supportive network for their work. Without spiritual support, forming partnerships and connections with other leaders, or access to new information and resources, the Health Team will become distraught and burned out. In order to sustain a good health and wellness program, the congregation needs to support their leader and their health teams.

Collaboration (not competition) with local community agencies is an important goal.

8. Address potential liability issues .

Since the health and wellness program is primarily pastoral, not clinical, invasive medical procedures are not practiced. People in need are referred to appropriate medical facilities, agencies or other institutions. As such, liability is not an imminent concern.

Be aware of, but not fearful about liability issues.

Please check with your insurance provider in order to verify your coverage for the health and wellness program. Most insurance providers do cover the health and wellness program under the congregation's insurance policy because the program is pastoral in practice, not involving clinical, invasive medical procedures.

9. Provide for necessary funding .

Given that this health and wellness initiative is initially volunteer driven, any incurred costs to congregations will be incidental.

The congregation will probably need to allocate some small office space (perhaps four hours weekly) for the Health Team. As the health and wellness initiative develops, congregational leadership may consider providing some funding within its own congregation or partner with other congregations.

Thomas Pruski, RN, MAPS, is with the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington .

 

Sidebar

Benefits of a Congregational Health and Wellness Program

• Congregations are the center of a person's value system.
• Congregational life is an expression of a denomination's missions and visions.
• Congregational health and wellness programs connect congregations and their members to the latest resources and information in the community.
• Congregational health and wellness programs model a congregation's attitude of caring and concern for the whole person.
• Congregational health and wellness programs reclaim the healing tradition and roots of one's faith.
• Congregational health and wellness programs visibly reintegrate the faith factor in congregational life.
• Congregational health and wellness programs heal the significant and wide disillusionments with Health Care System by offering a healing, caring presence people feel.
• Health care is more than medicine. Health care must be spirit-centered and whole-person focused. Faith plays a significant role in whole person well-being.