Holy Cross Health and Montgomery College Expand Thriving Partnership with Next Generation Wellness Initiative

Contacts:


Kristin Feliciano


Chief Strategy Officer


Holy Cross Health


Kristin.Feliciano@holycrosshealth.org


301-754-7017

Marcus Rosano


Director – Media Relations


Montgomery College


Marcus.rosano@montgomerycollege.edu


240.567.4022

Holy Cross Health and Montgomery College Expand Thriving Partnership with Next Generation Wellness Initiative

(Silver Spring, Maryland) – Holy Cross Health of Silver Spring, Maryland and Montgomery College, of Montgomery County, Maryland continue to demonstrate their strong commitment to employee health and wellness and are pleased to announce a joint initiative that will advance the growth of Montgomery College's award-winning employee wellness program.

The goal of the new program, deemed the Next Generation Wellness Initiative, is to help the College improve health outcomes and mitigate the rising healthcare costs of employees and retirees. Evidence from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirms that workplace health promotion interventions are highly effective in managing the type of chronic conditions found on many college campuses. Those conditions include high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity impacted by poor nutrition and the lack of physical activity.

Under the new initiative, Holy Cross Health will administer the Montgomery College employee wellness program and provide access to additional prevention and disease management services on all campuses. Holy Cross Health will also offer direct access to healthcare through their health centers and physician practices located throughout the county.

"Today, colleges are under enormous pressure to both innovate and maintain tight fiscal control," said Janet Wormack, senior vice president for administrative and fiscal services. "Montgomery College realized that its longstanding partnership with Holy Cross Health provided a great opportunity to redesign, enhance and expand the wellness program in ways that would better serve employees and be financially sustainable."

Holy Cross Health operates four health centers conveniently located throughout Montgomery County and provides the services of a staff of highly skilled physicians, nurse practitioners and registered nurses. Since the first health center opened more than 10 years ago over 200 thousand


people have received a broad spectrum of care including annual screenings, chronic disease management and behavioral health services.

"This new initiative creates an exciting opportunity for Montgomery College to utilize the numerous health facilities and wellness programs that Holy Cross Health has developed over the years," said Vanessa Briggs, Holy Cross Health, vice president community health. "In addition, it further diversifies and strengthens our longstanding partnership with the College. We look forward to the success of this initiative and future opportunities to cooperate on other projects to improve the wellbeing of those who live and work in Montgomery County."

For more information about the Next Generation Wellness Initiative, please contact Nadine Porter, associate senior vice president, administrative and fiscal services at Montgomery College, 240-567-5386 or Kimberley McBride, vice president, community health, 301-754-7149.

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About Montgomery College


Montgomery College is a public, open admissions community college with campuses in Germantown, Rockville, and Takoma Park/Silver Spring, plus workforce development/continuing education centers and off-site programs throughout Montgomery County, Md. The College serves nearly 60,000 students a year, through both credit and noncredit programs, in more than 130 areas of study.

About Holy Cross Health


Holy Cross Health, founded in 1963 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, is a comprehensive Catholic health care delivery system that includes two hospitals and a network of community health centers in Montgomery County, Maryland. Holy Cross Hospital, the largest hospital in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, is located on the Kevin J. Sexton Campus of Holy Cross Health in Silver Spring. Holy Cross Germantown Hospital is the first hospital in the nation located on the campus of a community college. Holy Cross Health Network provides primary care at health centers located in Silver Spring, Aspen Hill, Gaithersburg, and Germantown and community education throughout Montgomery County.