NET Health Awards 

1) Texas Mother Friendly Worksite Policy

A business needs to have a current worksite policy, or create a new worksite policy, that specifically covers these four criteria:

• Flexible work schedules with breaks that allow the mother to breastfeed their infant and/or to express breast milk for future use
• A private room that is not a bathroom that can be locked to provide a safe and relaxing environment for the mother
• Access to clean water and a sink to rinse, clean, or sanitize any equipment used for expressing breastmilk
• Hygienic storage options for breastmilk (ex., office refrigerator, personal cooler, mini-fridge).

NET Health can provide resources that provide breastfeeding support to your employees and we can provide technical assistance to interested local businesses to become a newly designated Texas Mother Friendly Worksite.

Full details are available at the Texas Mother Friendly Worksite Program's website.

2) Nicotine Free Worksite Policy

Develop a nicotine-free worksite policy or to enhance a company’s existing smoke-free policy by including the consumption of nicotine-containing products (ex., dip, snuff, snus) and/or prohibiting nicotine-delivery devices (ex., e-cigarettes, vape pens, mods) from onsite worksite use by employees. 

Proof of a company policy & photos of installed signage must be provided.

3) Onsite Physical Activity Policy **

Gym memberships and access to offsite facilities are encouraged but would not meet the 2025 critera for the NET Health Worksite Wellness Awards. All exercise  and physical activity resources must be physically available and accessible onsite at your place of business.

Worksites would be tasked to provide photos showing evidence of either of these 2 criteria:

• An onsite gym or onsite physical activity facility is accessible for all company employees to utilize, or
• Onsite exercise opportunities are available for all employees to participate (ex., daily/weekly group walking sessions held before or during the workday)

4) Onsite Nutrition Policy or an Onsite Healthy Food Policy **

Worksites would be asked to submit their company policy and provide photos showing evidence of both of these below criteria:

• Food and Nutrition Standards - Proof of a company policy that details the nutrient composition of food items sold either in onsite vending machines and/or onsite cafeteria options for employees at your worksite(s) [ex., # calories, # mg of sodium, grams of protein, etc.]
• Behavioral Design Standards - Proof of a company policy on company letterhead that (a) encourages the placement of healthier items first, (b) utilizes strategically placed signage that promotes healthier choices, and/or (c) features promotional pricing that discounts the healthier options.  

#3 and #4 are sourced from the Food Service Guidelines for Federal Facilities: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2017. 

** An existing Worksite Wellness Policy can be substitued for #3 or for #4.

For technical assistance or to ask questions, contact Terrence Ates.

Who is the "DOC" Ballard for?

The W.T. “Doc” Ballard Award for Excellence in Public Health honors individuals or organizations that demonstrate outstanding service in protecting and promoting community health in Northeast Texas. Nominees do not need to be public health professionals — they can come from any walk of life and serve in areas such as civic leadership, education, cultural initiatives, or philanthropy.