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AFFILIATED AND ENDORSED PROGRAMS

At the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center and Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences (OccHealthSci) at Oregon Health & Science University, we partner and collaborate with various institutions on workplace safety, health, and well-being intervention research and programs. This page describes our affiliated programs. Affiliated and endorsed programs are evidence-based or evidence-informed programs that can help improve different areas of workplace safety, health, and well-being. Visit our OHSU website for a full list of current and past projects.

 

To learn more and how to access each program, download the one page informational sheet or visit the listed websites below.

AFFILIATED PROGRAMS
Programs developed by Oregon Healthy Workforce Center and institute faculty & staff
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Veteran Supportive Supervisor Training (VSST)
 for all industries

The Veteran-Supportive Supervisor Training (VSST) is the first scientifically evaluated training to improve Veteran experiences in the workplace by training supervisors to: 1) better understand the strengths that employees with

military experience possess 2) recognize the unique challenges that Veterans and Service members face when transitioning to the civilian sector 3) adopt practices that support Veterans and Service member’s family lives and performance at work, employment retention, health and well-being. The VSST provides supervisors with knowledge that positively shapes the way they perceive, interact with and support Veterans in the workplace. This program was developed by Leslie Hammer, PhD at the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at OHSU. This research-based training is now available.

Oregon MESH (Military Employee Sleep and Health) Study

The Oregon MESH Study is a Department of Defense-funded collaboration between Oregon Health & Science University, Colorado State University and Portland State University. With the support of the Oregon National Guard, this study will tackle the issues of sleep-related health and work-life stress amongst our full-time National Guard Soldiers, Airmen, and their families. The goal of the Oregon MESH Study is to improve the health and well-being of full-time military Service Members in the Oregon National Guard by providing their supervisors with the skills to positively impact their workplace climates. This program was developed by Leslie Hammer, PhD

Mental Health and Resilience Training for Military Leaders Study 

The Readiness Supportive Training for Leaders (RESULT) study is currently in progress and targets junior leaders in active duty U.S. Army, teaching them ways to support the soldiers in the platoon and build resilience. The training program is expected to have a positive impact on Soldier readiness and resilience, psychological health, team cohesion and reduced loneliness. This research is designed to benefit not only U.S. Army soldiers but across all military branches, as well as first-responders and other civilian occupations that face highly stressful situations as part of their work. This is a joint project with Portland State University. Read more about the project on the Oregon and the Workplace blog.

Safety & Health Involvement for Truck Drivers (SHIFT)

SHIFT is a weight and health promotion program tailored for truck drivers and is proven to work. SHIFT was developed with an understanding of the demands of commercial driving, incorporating sleep, eating, and exercise elements to advance driver safety, health, and well-being. This program supports drivers' success with a group weight loss competition that includes weekly behavior and body weight logging, online training, and health coaching. SHIFT is one of two programs for truck drivers established as effective with a randomized controlled design. This program was developed by Ryan Olson, PhD at the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at OHSU.  

SHIFT ONBOARD for bus drivers*

Adapted from the Safety & Health Involvement for Truck Drivers (SHIFT), SHIFT Onboard is a research study tailored for bus operators that will focus on the long-term prevention of weight-related health conditions while also fostering well-being, job satisfaction, and overall work performance for new employees.SHIFT Onboard will enroll 300 new bus operators from multiple Western U.S. cities to help them be healthy, happy and safe during their first years on the job. Operators will participate in a group competition to help them set and achieve safety, health, and well-being goals. They will l track goals and complete training online, as well as receive in-person support through discussion with health coaches and fellow drivers  In addition to protecting operators against weight gain and supporting job success, the study will assess new drivers’ working conditions and measure how driving might disrupt eating, exercise, sleep and weight. This research is supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute under grant R01HL05495.

Mental Health Awareness Training (MHAT) for managers
for all industries

The Mental Health Awareness Training (MHAT) is the first scientifically evaluated workplace mental health training program designed specifically for organizational leaders and managers in North America. The MHAT is a 3-hour training program that has been implemented and evaluated in a variety of work contexts, from office environments and secondary education to power plants and field settings. The MHAT is designed to provide managers with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to successfully support employee mental health and wellbeing.  The MHAT is the only manager-focused workplace mental health training to demonstrate a significant ROI. This program was developed by Jennifer Dimoff, PhD at the University of Ottawa's Telfer School of Management.

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Peer influence, attitudes, and behaviors in the workplace 

Peers influence, attitudes and behaviors at the workplace. Peer-based training has been shown to be effective for personal protective equipment and safety-related procedures. Applying Social Network Analysis to detect which workers and social relations are critical to influencing safer workplace norms and practices. Dr. David Hurtado has conducted pilot studies in preparation for extramural grants to develop effective peer-based programs that improve occupational health and safety such as:​

  • Needs assessment and program evaluation of health department employees

  • Evaluation of health outcomes in organizations with paid parental leave policy in the workplace

  • A research partnership to identify, train and evaluate the effects of nurses that champion safe patient handling and teamwork at their units in Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital in Oregon

  • Evaluating the mental health effects of a peer-based program that provides social support and stress management to parole probation officers at the Multnomah County's Department of Community Justice

ENDORSED PROGRAMS
Programs developed outside of OccHealthSci and Oregon Healthy Workforce Center faculty and staff, as well as external organizations 
De-Escalation, Escape and Defense Techniques*

Healthcare and social services occupations are among those at highest risk of workplace violence. Healthcare and social service industries account for almost half of non-fatal assaults in workplaces. Statistics show that 18-61% of home care workers experience verbal aggression, 16-26% experience workplace aggression or threats of violence, and 3-11% experience physical assaults. This program includes access to online training and on-site practice. 

 

In a home care worker study, we found that computer-based training (CBT) alone or with trained peer facilitation with home care workers can increase confidence and reduce incidents of workplace violence and harassment in a consumer-driven model of care. Home care workers reported improved confidence to prevent and respond to workplace violence and harassment and a reduction in incidents of workplace violence and harassment in both groups at 6-month follow-up. A decrease in negative health and work outcomes associated with violence and harassment were not reported in the groups.

 

Reference: Glass N, Perrin N, Hanson G, Laharnar N, Moss H, Weinstein M, Campbell J, Anger WK.  Computer-based Training (CBT) Intervention Reduces Workplace Violence and Harassment for Homecare Workers. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 2017, 60:635–643, DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22728.

Some of the above links may direct to external websites from YourWorkpath.com *Denotes NwETA, LLC is the company that collaborates with OHSU in the offering of this tool. OHSU has a financial interest in this company and Dr. Anger, who is the Director of the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center at OHSU, is the company's President. If you would like more information about this, please contact the OHSU Integrity Department at (503) 494-8849 OR integrity@ohsu.edu.

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