Connecticut Behavioral Health Partnership Joins With The Department of Mental Health Services to Promote Healthy Living

ROCKY HILL, Conn., Sept. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- This week the Connecticut Behavioral Health Partnership (CT BHP) is hosting its Fifth Annual "Step Into Wellness For Life" Challenge.  This competition challenges members of Department of Mental Health Services (DMHAS)-funded social clubs and others who receive DMHAS services to celebrate wellness and recovery by logging 300,000 steps or more the week of September 14-20, 2015.  The walking challenge is designed to support behavioral health through healthy physical activity. 

"People with mental illnesses die decades earlier than the general population," said Beacon Health Options' Connecticut Associate Medical Director Eugenia Popescu, MD.  "What's more, studies have found the increased morbidity and mortality are due to medical conditions caused by risk factors, such as exercise, smoking, obesity, substance use, as well as inadequate access to medical care, all of which can be addressed".

CT BHP has distributed pedometers and promotional materials to "Step Into Wellness For Life" Challenge participants, and will host a final awards ceremony.  Each team will encourage its members to walk, run, and organize group activities to log 300,000 steps during the contest period.  The team with the highest total logged footsteps, along with the second-and third-place winners, will receive awards. There will be accommodations made for participants who require mobility assistance (wheelchairs, walkers, canes, etc.); physical movement is the key criteria.

Also, this week, five teams have also chosen to participate in the nutrition competition, "The Garden Path to Wellness." This competition involves dietary instruction followed by participants logging instances of healthier nutrition choices for points throughout the week.

"The Step Into Wellness for Life Challenge is essentially a challenge for life," said Nilsa Mendez, Membership Outreach Coordinator.  "We formed a team for this friendly competition; and it has evolved into a part of our daily routine, promoting the essential relationship between physical and mental wellness." 

Employees at CT BHP will compete as well, vying to see which of its teams can rack up the most steps and win the nutrition challenge. "It's a great healthy competition to determine which staffers can best "walk the talk" of wellness with our members," said Samantha Forbes, Beacon Health Options Regional Network Manager and Project Lead for the competition.

About CT BHP
CT BHP is a Partnership composed of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Department of Social Services (DSS), and the Behavioral Health Partnership Oversight Council with Value Options, a Beacon Health Options company, as its administrative services organization.

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SOURCE Beacon Health Options

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