Insider's Insights: What the State of CA is doing to promote SAW/RTW

Summary:
On 10/6/10, 5 representatives of areas within the State of CA (CHSWC, SCIF, University of CA, DWC and DFEH) related their contributions to keeping Californians working safely and productively and to foster opportunities among all stakeholders for SAW/RTW

Also listed on www.DMEC.org -- see Chapters, Northern CA
http://www.dmec.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=72

Below are additional resource documents related to the video:

Stay-at-Work / Return-to-Work Service Providers

The California Consortium for Stay at Work / Return to Work has compiled a listing of organizations that provide stay-at-work/return-to-work and disability management assistance and consulting services. For additional information on services provided and terms of services, please contact the organizations directly.

State of California and related:

The Worker Occupational Safety and Health Training and Education Program (WOSHTEP) at the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation, California Department of Industrial Relations

This site provides resources for health and safety in the following areas:

Return-to-Work in California: Listening to Stakeholders' Voices Prepared for the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation by the Institute of Industrial Relations, University of California at Berkeley.

This report studies five interest groups and their suggested tactics to improve return-to-work in California.

http://www.dir.ca.gov/chswc/RTWinCA0701.html

Helping Injured Employees Return to Work: Practical Guidance Under Workers’ Compensation and Disability Rights Laws in California
This handbook was designed and produced by the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE), University of California at Berkeley, under a contract with the California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC). Its goal is to help small employers understand how to comply with both workers’ compensation and disability rights laws that govern return to work in California.

Access the guide.

Clinical Resources

The American Chronic Pain Association Resource Guide to Chronic Pain Medication and Treatment
Author: Steven Feinberg, et. al. Resource Publ. Date: 1/1/12
The ACPA Resource Guide to Chronic Pain Medication and Treatment provides useful information to understand current medication usage and other treatments for chronic pain.

Download the guide to learn more

CA Consortium member, Dr. Steve Feinburg on Focusing on Function: A New Approach to the Treatment of Chronic Pain.
Released in getMedLegal Magazine, Dr.Feinburg's Bay Area Functional Restoration Program shares the benefits of Functional Restoration in addressing chronic pain and that the patients are active members in their own health.

To learn more, please visit:
http://www.getmedlegal.com/articles/articles1011/matthews-feinberg.html

Aligning Incentives Between Payers, Employers and Providers
This presentation highlights the importance of sharing total claim outcomes with providers to enhance performance and alignment in lieu of traditional transaction driven medicine. One of the most critical drivers and predictors for total (workers compensation) claims costs is total temporary disability. The provision of this one metric can help providers and employer better understand the root issues in claims that are falling outside the Guidelines. The slides include an outline of practices followed by the highest performing providers with the lowest rates of TTD and lowest total claims costs.
By Bernyce Peplowski, DO, MS
Peplowski & Associates

Attending Doctor's Return-to-Work Desk Reference
State of Washington, Department of Labor and Industries
Research tells us that returning to normal activities, including work, as quickly as possible is critical both for a patient's recovery and their economic well-being. Getting back to work is good for the patient. The important role the physician plays in this process is a challenging one. This reference guide was put together to assist physicians in finding the resources they need to achieve the best possible results and return to work outcomes for their patients.

Realizing the Health Benefits of Work
The May 26, 2010 position statement of the Australasian physicians on "The Health Benefits of Work " from Dr. Gordon Waddell, an orthopedic surgeon and internationally renowned professor and researcher in the field of physical medicine. According to Dr. Waddell: "...long term worklessness is one of the greatest risks to health in our society. It is more dangerous than the most dangerous jobs in the construction industry, or [working on an oil rig in] the North Sea, and too often we not only fail to protect our patients from long term worklessness, we sometimes actually push them into it, inadvertently..."

A Place for Work in the Lives of Your Patients:
New resources and techniques for supporting patients with disabilities and chronic illness to work
Phile Barry, PhD Training Final Revision and Catherine Dubiel, MD Training Final Revision (PPT files) These two presentations are very similar. You will notice a heavy emphasis on the Social Security Work Incentives because that is the group served by the Ticket to Work Program. Many of the points in this training are taken from the ACOEM Guidelines. We received official permission from ACOEM to do include. None of the trainees in this project were charged a fee to attend.

U.S. Organizations Supporting Stay at Work/Return to Work:

October is National Disability Month
President Barack Obama issued a proclamation declaring October National Disability Employment Awareness Month

"I urge all Americans to embrace the talents and skills that individuals with disabilities bring to our workplaces and communities and to promote the right to equal employment opportunity for all people," The President states in the proclamation.

To learn more regarding the President's Proclamation, please visit:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/03/presidential-proclamation-national-disability-employment-awareness-month

American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Health and Productivity Management Center

The Health and Productivity Management Center offers a comprehensive mix of Health and Productivity Management services.

http://www.acoem.org/healthandproductivity.aspx

What can YOU do?
The Campaign for Disability Employment
The Campaign for Disability Employment is a collaborative effort between several disability and business organizations that seek to promote positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities by encouraging employers and others to recognize the value and talent they bring to the workplace, as well as the dividend to be realized by fully including people with disabilities at work. People with disabilities can and do make important contributions to America's businesses every day. By implementing good workplace practices, like maintaining a flexible and inclusive work environment, businesses can capitalize on the talents of qualified people with disabilities, benefitting everyone.

The National Disability Rights Network - Annual Conference
Remarks from Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez
It's a pleasure to be with you today, to celebrate not only the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but the tireless work of the advocates who worked to see its passage 20 years ago, and who continue today to persist in the belief that every single person in this nation is entitled to access and to the rights guaranteed by our constitution... (See link for full comments)

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
http://www.jan.wvu.edu/
JAN provides free consulting services for all employers, regardless of the size of an employer's workforce. Services include one-on-one consultation about all aspects of job accommodations, including the accommodation process, accommodation ideas, product vendors, referral to other resources, and ADA compliance assistance. JAN also has a wealth of on-line resources related to job accommodations.

New Mexico Workforce Health and Productivity Summit (PDF)
http://www.acoem.org/hpsummit_workforce.aspx
The Workforce Health and Productivity Summit is a gathering of national leaders from public and private sector organizations convened to discuss issues related to health and productivity in the workplace, advance knowledge and understanding of these issues and to find ways to strengthen the health and productivity of the national workforce. The first national summit was held Nov. 5-7, 2008, in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico.

Integrated Benefits Institute
Report on the Full Cost of Depression in the Workplace
IBI Brief and IBI Slide Deck (PDF Files)
The Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI) provides employers and their supplier partners with resources for proving the business value of health. As a pioneer, leader and nonprofit supplier of health and productivity research, measurement and benchmarking, IBI is the trusted source for benefits performance analysis, practical solutions, and forums for information and education. IBI's programs, resources and expert networks advance understanding about the link between—and the impact of—health-related productivity on corporate America's bottom line. Request a free employer membership to IBI.

Exercise Is Medicine
http://www.exerciseismedicine.org
Exercise is MedicineTM is an initiative launched by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Medical Association (AMA) focused on encouraging health care providers to include exercise when designing treatment plans for patients. Exercise is MedicineTM is committed to the belief that exercise and physical activity are integral in the prevention and treatment of diseases and should be assessed as part of medical care.

World Institute on Disability
The mission of the World Institute on Disability (WID) in communities and nations worldwide is to eliminate barriers to full social integration and increase employment, economic security and health care for persons with disabilities. WID creates innovative programs and tools; conducts research, public education, training and advocacy campaigns; and provides technical assistance.
http://www.wid.org and www.DB101.org

Work Comp Central
http://workcompcentral.com
Improving workers' compensation through news and education.

International Resources:

Improving Health and Work and Changing Lives
A review by Dame Carol Black of the health of Britain's working-age population and recommended measures that could bring about positive changes. She includes a number of recommendations to support employers in creating workplaces which are accommodating and safe. The goal is to create a society where positive links between work and health are recognized by all and where health conditions and disabilities are not a bar to enjoying the benefits of work.

International Forum on Disability Management - IFDM 2010

The CA Consortium to Promote SAW-RTW proudly encourages members and friends to review plans for the IFDM 2012 to be held next September in London, U.K. We actively sponsored the highly successful IFDM 2010, held last September in Los Angeles, where presentations were delivered by several of our members to representatives of 33 nations. Please review this Call for Abstracts. Note Abstracts are due no later than January 29th, 2012 (Please also see attached PDF regarding the call for abstracts)

www.IFDM2010.com
Disability management is capturing the attention of businesses and governments around the world because it provides proven solutions to reduce and minimize the impact of injury and illness. Hosted on September 20-22, 2010 in Los Angeles , IFDM 2010 provides a unique opportunity for the health, safety, workers' compensation and disability management communities to advance knowledge and share insight. Over 500 delegates from around the world will attend to share experiences on how to create, implement, and evaluate comprehensive disability management initiatives.

IFDM 2010 will advance disability management knowledge and initiatives to:

Return to Work Knowledge Base
http://www.rtwknowledge.org/
Research on the subject of returning to work after an illness or injury has been identified and translated into simple English here. The articles are written in an easy to read format with perspectives on the evidence presented for Employees, Employers, Health Professionals and Insurers.

Health, Work and Well Being
http://www.workingforhealth.gov.uk/
Health, Work and Well-being is a Government-led initiative to protect and improve the health and well-being of working age people. Founded on a growing evidence base that working is good for health, it brings together employers, unions, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders to promote the positive links between health and well-being and help more people with health conditions to find and stay in employment.

60 Summits Project and related resources:

Here's a set of 12 practical ideas for managing what happens in your workplace after an employee reports that a medical condition is affecting his or her ability to work. These tips are based on our observations of what has worked best for thousands of employers. Following these suggestions will help you get the situation off on the right track and keep it there—which will help your employee recover quickly, get your workplace back to normal, and avoid needless benefit outlays.

Employer's 12 Quick Situation Mgt Tips from 60 Summits Project

Are you curious about what to do when you are suddenly faced with a medical condition that is affecting your work?
Here is our advice on how to handle that situation.

Here is what to do if you want to feel better, get your daily life back to normal, and manage your benefits as smoothly as possible. We have watched thousands of people in situations like yours –and want you have the best possible experience and recovery.

Patient Information - How to Minimize Life & Work Disruption Due to Injury or Illness

60 Summits Project and Dr. Jennifer Christian
The 60 Summits Project brings people together to build a team approach to the stay-at-work and return-to-work (SAW/RTW) process. At our Summits, relationships begin forming across traditional boundaries as stakeholders agree on specific new ways to collaborate – because they now see that the goal is to minimize the disruptive impact of illness and injury on life and work for employed people as well as their employers. The 60 Summits Project's founder and national chairperson is Dr. Jennifer Christian.

The Work Fitness & Disability Roundtable
The Work Fitness & Disability Roundtable is a free e-group -- a discussion group that communicates by e-mail using Yahoo Groups. Our 1,000+ members are professionals from multiple disciplines. We have a common interest in preventing and minimizing the disruptive impact of injury and illness on peoples' daily lives, especially regarding their work, and in promoting the health and productivity of the American workforce. Our special focus is improving outcomes in situations in which new injuries, illnesses, or the progress of chronic medical conditions have temporarily or permanently changed peoples' ability to function in their "usual" way. The Roundtable provides a dynamic forum for the exchange of ideas, posing of questions, and discussion of topics of interest and importance.

The roundtable is moderated by Jennifer Christian, MD, MPH, and sponsored by Webility Corporation. To join, go to www.webility.md and click on WFD Roundtable.

Arizona SAW-RTW Summit and related information

Contact the Arizona SAW/RTW group.

Wisconsin Consortium on Promoting Stay at Work and Return to Work

Tools and Training Materials for Stay at Work/Return to Work

The Free Library
The Free Library offers free, full-text versions of periodicals. This specific link connects into the free library's business and healthcare resource.

The Golden Carrot
Uncovering Key Competencies of Return to Work Coordinators
http://www.libertymutualimages.com/GoldenCarrot/html/index.html

The presentation:

The presenters

Teamwork

Teamwork