Dover – The 2020 Lt. Governor's Wellness Leadership Challenge has announced seven recipients in four categories for this year’s awards, Delaware Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long announced Thursday. Lt. Governor Hall-Long launched the Challenge in 2018 as part of her mission to make Delaware a stronger and healthier state. The Challenge is an opportunity for Delawareans to be drivers of change in their own neighborhoods, workplaces, community groups and schools by addressing the policies and systems that create equitable health opportunities for all - and in doing so, encourage fellow Delawareans to take steps toward healthier living. The winning submissions came from individuals, organizations and institutions across Delaware who made a commitment to enacting better health and wellness for their communities, ultimately helping to elevate the well-being, productivity, and prosperity of the State of Delaware. “The Lt. Governor’s Challenge is an opportunity for Delawareans to make their family, neighborhood, workplace, community or school healthier and stronger,” said Hall-Long in a statement, who is also a nurse and professor. “Our health involves so much more than just access to medical care. This year’s winners have come up with outstanding ideas to make individuals and communities physically and emotionally healthier in many different ways.” The 2020 Winners The  seven honorees are:

• The Delaware Department of Correction – for its initiative to improve staff emotional well-being
• Polytech School District – for its young adult tobacco prevention and vaping awareness education programs in partnership with the Department of Education, Department of Health & Social Services, American Lung Association and Delaware State Police
• Delaware Council on Farm and Food Policy – for policy recommendations addressing the availability of healthy food
• Khayree Bee – for mindfulness strategies for schools in the Colonial School District
• Christiana Care Project Connect – for a partnership between a health system and the Delaware state QuitLine
• Compassionate Schools Team from Academia Antonia Alonso – for providing guidance and direction when dealing with behaviors and trauma of students
• Delaware Health and Social Services – for a policy to promote an overall healthy lifestyle for DHSS employees

The Selection Process All Challenge nominees completed an extensive application process with a requirement to feature an initiative that met the following criteria:

• SUSTAINABILITY:The initiative should provide ongoing opportunity for healthier living, instead of being a one-off activity.
• REACH:The initiative should seek to demonstrate improvements in the capacity to address the health needs of a community or a target population.
• OUTCOME/IMPACT:The initiative should demonstrate improved access and/or increased opportunities for improving behavioral and physical health in the state.

Making a Difference in Delaware By engaging businesses, local organizations and individuals to be change-makers for health in their communities, the Lt. Governor’s Challenge spotlights and applauds those implementing solutions to create environments that support and sustain overall good health in the state. The group of seven award recipients will be recognized for their achievements by the Lt. Governor at a live virtual event on October 13, 2020.  Participation invitations will be sent directly to each honoree for them to share with their respective teams, friends and family. Please visit https://ltgovernorschallenge.org for more information on the winners, as well as submitting a nomination in the emotional well-being, healthy living, chronic disease management and prevention, or mother and child health categories.