The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is proud to announce that it has been recognized with a 2021 Healthy Arizona Worksites Program (HAWP) award. The District was honored alongside other award recipients at the Virtual Healthy Arizona Worksite annual event on June 17, earning a Platinum level designation for its community wellness initiatives.
Developed through a partnership between the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, HAWP is a statewide program that provides Arizona employers with training, technical assistance, tools, and resources to design, implement, and evaluate worksite wellness initiatives. The HAWP award seeks to recognize employers that are making evidence-based efforts to support the health and well-being of their employees, their families, and communities across the Valley.
“The Wellness Maricopa team is thrilled to receive this recognition, it has been a goal we have been working towards over the past year,” said MCCCD Senior Wellness Coordinator, Kim Bentley. “Wellness Maricopa collaborates across all of our Colleges and the District Office to create a culture that embodies MCCCD’s commitment to employee health and well-being. Providing informational and engaging wellness-related content and activities that encourages and supports individual, organizational and community well-being.”
MCCCD has made strides in advocating for and promoting employee’s mental health and physical well-being through a District-wide Wellness Maricopa initiative, which aims to support organizational and individual well-being through education, prevention, early detection, and access to comprehensive resources. The initiative focuses on eight dimensions of wellness including emotional, spiritual, occupational, financial, social, environmental, intellectual, and physical. In addition, the Wellness team also spearheads #YouMatter, a colleague appreciation campaign which encourages mental health through the expression of gratitude.
“The Maricopa Community Colleges understand and value the importance of health and wellness, and we are thrilled to be recognized for our commitment to our employees,” said MCCCD Interim Chancellor, Dr. Steven R. Gonzales. “The Wellness Maricopa team at our District has worked tirelessly over the past year to provide employees with opportunities to prioritize health and wellness, and I want to congratulate them for this achievement.”
In addition to the District accomplishment, eight of the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges have also been recognized for achieving Platinum and Gold level status. The HAWP awards continues MCCCD’s commitment to workplace success, including being named one of Arizona’s Best Employers by Forbes in 2019 and the system’s recognition as a Leading Employer for Women in 2018.