Well City USA is an initiative that evolved out of the Well Workplace Awards. Similar in approach, the objective of Well City USA is to engage entire business communities in building healthy workforces, according to the Wellness Council of West Virginia (WCWV.)

The primary requirement for achieving Well City USA is that 20 percent of a community's working population must be employed by either Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum designated Well Workplace Award winning companies. In October 2001, the Kanawha Valley became the seventh community in the nation to achieve the elite Well City USA status.

Currently, the WCWV has three Well City USA initiatives underway. The Kanawha Valley initiative is pursuing a Silver Well City USA designation.

The Tri-County Well Cities Initiative includes Monongalia, Marion and Harrison Counties. The Advantage Valley Well Cities Initiative encompasses eight counties in three states: WV, Ohio and Kentucky. It includes the two Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) of Charleston, Huntington, Ironton and Ashland.

Established in West Virginia in 1991, the Well Workplace Awards initiative has become an international recognition program of the WELCOA, according to the WCWV.

Also, For the last 2 years, the WCWV has set the standard nationally in the number of successful Well Workplace applications and set out to continue the effort in 2005.

Five of its current WWP companies are due for renewals. Several others were planning to "upgrade" their certifications from Bronze to Silver or from Silver to Gold. Additionally, there are many worthy programs out there that were expected to seek their first designation as a Well Workplace, the WCWV reported. The Council's 2005 goal was to have 5 companies renew their certifications and at least 12 companies achieve first-time certifications or up-grade their existing certification.

For more information visit, http://www.wcwv.org