Welcome to the monthly Health and Wellness newsletter for UWM employees that highlights various upcoming programs and services that are available to employees. We hope you take advantage of the many opportunities detailed below. Visit the Employee Wellness Website to learn about wellbeing resources and upcoming programs.
Wellness Programs and Resources
Benefit Review Sessions for New Employees
New employees are encouraged to attend a benefit review session to learn about their comprehensive benefits package and how to enroll within the 30-day enrollment window. A virtual benefits review session is scheduled for December 2 from 12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M. Visit the Benefits Reviews schedule to register for upcoming sessions:
Wellbeing Webinars & Workshops (*UWM Specific)
- Healthy Holiday Baking, December 1, 8, and 15, at 12:00 P.M., Register
- UWMidday Reset*, December 4 at 12:00 P.M., Register, Flyer
- UWMidday Reset*, December 17 at 12:00 P.M., Register, Flyer
- Managing the Holidays*, December 18 at 12:00 P.M., Register
- January Jumpstart*, December 19 at 12:15 P.M., Register
- UWMidday Reset*, December 23 at 12:00 P.M., Register, Flyer
- UWMidday Reset*, December 29 at 12:00 P.M., Register, Flyer
All employees can participate in additional webinars/events that are offered this month and beyond. See the Universities of Wisconsin Webinars web page for webinar information and register via the links.
Universities of Wisconsin Webinars
Employees can also access recorded videos for Well Wisconsin on the web page below.
Virtual Fitness Classes
Well Wisconsin offers virtual fitness classes that are open to all employees. There are a variety of classes underway and new classes start periodically.
Well Wisconsin Training Series Flyer
- Holiday Themed Variety Fitness Classes, December 1 and 8, at 4:00 P.M., Register
- Lunchtime Boost Stretch Break, January 9 at 12:00 P.M., Register
If you are unable to attend a fitness class, visit the on-demand library of recordings for recorded classes.
Blood Pressure Monitor Pilot Program
UWM Human Resources is piloting a home blood pressure monitor program for eligible employees. Employees who meet the following criteria are eligible to receive a free home blood pressure monitor:
- Have documentation of an elevated blood pressure systolic over 120 and/or a diastolic over 80
- Diagnosis of prehypertension or Stage 1 hypertension
- Are not currently being treated by a physician for high blood pressure/hypertension
To see if you are eligible to receive a blood pressure monitor, contact Tracy Oles at teo@uwm.edu to verify and coordinate pick up in Engelmann Hall.
Blood Pressure Monitor Pilot Program flyer
Kaia Health
Living with pain can slow you down, keeping you from the people and activities you love the most. Well Wisconsin through Kaia Health provides free access to personalized therapy programs for back, shoulders, hips, knees, and more. Log in to your Well Wisconsin portal and locate “Benefits” at top of the page. The Kaia Health widget is housed within the Well Wisconsin portion of the “Benefits” page.
Wag More Wednesdays at the UWM Library
Therapy dogs will be at the UWM Library Learning Commons on various Wednesdays each month. This is a great opportunity for employees and students to de-stress and snuggle with a furry friend. Each visit is about one hour. Schedules for upcoming therapy dog visits at the library can be found here:
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through Acentra Health
UWM’s Employee Assistance Program offers confidential counseling and support services to all employees including both short-term counseling and referrals for additional services. Acentra Health is free, confidential, and available 24/7.
Contact Acentra Health:
- 833-539-7285
- sowi.mylifeexpert.com (password: SOWI)
EAP Webinars
- Riding the Change Wave, December 10 at 12:30 P.M., Register
- Managing the Holidays, December 18 at 12:00 P.M., Register
Additional Mental Health Resources
Employees enrolled in the State of Wisconsin Group Health insurance Plan have access to the following mental health resources through the Well Wisconsin Program/WebMD Wellness portal:
- Mental Health Coaching
- Togetherall-an online mental health community
- meQuilibrium-a stress and resiliency program
Well Wisconsin Mental Health Flyer
UWM Suicide Prevention Training
The Student Health and Wellness Center and the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Mental Health encourage faculty and staff to complete Recognize, Respond, Refer Suicide Prevention Training, an interactive, experientially based workshop designed to improve participants’ suicide intervention skills. With each person who completes the training, UWM develops its network of individuals who are prepared to assist in identifying and supporting individuals in crisis. It’s okay to do Part 1 without Part 2 (though Part 2 is highly recommended).
Part One: Online Training via Canvas — UW-System’s Recognize, Respond, Refer: Suicide Prevention Training for Faculty and Staff, an asynchronous online training builds awareness, knowledge, and skills about mental health and suicide prevention. The training requires approximately 45 minutes to complete.
Self-enroll in the Canvas course
Part Two: In-Person Discussion — This 75-minute in-person discussion session builds on the foundational online training by focusing on skills-based practice, scenario discussions, and campus-specific resource/referral information. Time for Q&A is also included.
Financial Wellness Offerings
Multiple financial webinars are offered each month on a variety of topics. See the Universities of Wisconsin Webinars web page for a full listing and to register.
Universities of Wisconsin Webinars
Upcoming Finanial Webinars
- 529: College Savings Plan Education Workshop, December 3, at 6:00 P.M.
- WDC: Your Journey to Retirement, December 11, at 9:00 A.M.
- WRS: Retirement Benefit Calculations, December 18, at 11:00 A.M.
UWM Professional Development
UWM proudly offers learning and development opportunities to provide positive and enriching employee experience. Professional development is offered for all employees, including training specifically for supervisors. Professional development is offered in different formats including live webinars, self-paced e-learning courses, and in-person sessions. See below for this month’s seminars:
- Emotional Intelligence, December 4, at 10:00 A.M., Register
- EQ Making it Work for You, December 11, at 10:00 A.M., Register
- De-escalation for Manager, December 17, at 10:00 A.M., Register
Environmental Wellness Offerings with UWM Sustainability
Explore sustainable features of our UWM Campus on this self-guided tour!
UWM Sustainability & Green Infrastructure
Check out what’s coming up:
- Surplus Pop-Up, December 3, 10:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M., Union Concourse (sales are cash only)
- Sustainability Sips, December 4, 12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M., Architecture and Urban Planning, RM 116
Safety Training
A variety of safety-related training courses are available to UWM employees. Please visit the link below for an upcoming list of training opportunities.
Campus Cares Wellness Wednesday Newsletter
Here is the Campus Cares Wellness Wednesday Newsletter including wellbeing information, tips and recipes that are sure to be your new favorites!
- Holiday Anxiety: 10 tips to cope
- Taking care of your mental health is essential during the holidays. Explore 10 self-care tips to help you cope and how to avoid common triggers of holiday anxiety.
- A surprising trick to making hard choices? Try thinking less
- Life is filled with big decisions. If you’re not sure what to do, Nell Wulfhart has some counterintuitive advice, spend less time thinking about it.
- The Best Years of Your Life Are Probably Still Ahead
- Laura Carstensen’s favorite lecture of the year is the one when she tells undergrads at Stanford University that these are not the best years of their lives. Those come much, much later.
- Fall Chopped Salad
- Use autumn’s tender crop of fresh spinach and other seasonal vegetables to make this fall salad with roasted butternut squash, apples, cheddar and pecans.
- Cherry Crumble
- This no-sugar-added cherry crumble is a great way to highlight the flavor of cherries in this naturally sweet snack.