Crossing the Aisle & State Lines, Lawmakers Unite in Well-being

Proving well-being is a unifying value; bipartisan lawmakers in three states are crossing the aisles to make their State House a healthier place to govern, work and visit. Aligning evidence-based dimensions of Working Well, coordinating multi-disciplinary local and national partners and building on momentum from legislative champions, PSE and health status impacts are being realized. Initial catalyst, SC Rep. Neal Collins, leads by example and leverages social media to foster engagement in SC and recruit fellow lawmakers in MN and OK to do the same. By delivering health promotion principles such as access, opportunity, individual skill development, effective communication, built environment and motivating group challenges that encourage social connectivity, healthy eating and active living, a culture of well-being is emerging. Experience is rivaling traditional advocacy as veteran state South Carolina has passed a school nutrition accountability bill, introduced a healthy food access bill and installed a permanent walking-trail monument on hallowed Capitol grounds. After completing this session, participants will be able to: (1) Understand how and why engaging lawmakers through experiences is significant and effective in advancing PSE strategies for well-being, (2) Scale place-based PSE strategies to fit needs and leverage resources (local/regional/state, entity, budget, etc.) by identifying and engaging champions and collaborative partners for low-cost, effective implementation, and (3) Better understand needs and desires of lawmakers for research and meaningful translation of findings to influence policy that supports well-being.