Skyward rolls out LiveWell NKY to improve health outcomes

Skyward recently implemented a community-wide initiative that aims to improve the health of Northern Kentucky residents, LiveWell NKY.

Skyward, formerly known as Vision 2015, is responsible for developing and managing Northern Kentucky’s strategic plan, myNKY. After months of intensive research and feedback from the community, Skyward found that health was a major concern in the community — so it became one of the plan’s four main focus areas.

“Kentucky overall comes in 47th out of 50 states in health outcomes,” Skyward President Bill Scheyer says. “That number clearly sets the stage for raising the health level of people in Northern Kentucky. It’s not that there is no culture of good health, but a culture of poor health.”

LiveWell NKY is currently in its pilot phase and will focus on helping communities, schools and organizations in three key ways: active lifestyle, better nutrition and smoking cessation. Improvement in any or all of the areas will ideally move Northern Kentucky residents into a better health status and help adjust and improve existing community policies.

Five coalitions in Northern Kentucky are currently piloting the program: Covington, Newport, Ludlow, Fort Mitchell and Gallatin County. LiveWell NKY will focus on those coalitions for the first year and then add others as needed.

Founding partner St. Elizabeth Healthcare donated $100,000 to help launch the initiative, Scheyer says.

Do Good:

• For more information on LiveWell NKY, visit Skyward's website.

• Become a LiveWell NKY ambassador. 

• Take advantage of various opportunities to eat better, get more exercise and stop smoking.