BHS, Canyon Ranch Institute Partner in Health, Wellness Initiative

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) recently announced an initiative to improve the health and wellness of the Berkshire community with its new partner, the nonprofit Canyon Ranch Institute (CRI). BHS will invest a combined $500,000 in funding and support for professional staff time to establish the most comprehensive initiative to date to bring the Canyon Ranch Institute Life Enhancement Program (CRI LEP) to a community.

The CRI Life Enhancement Program with BHS is an evidence-based, multidisciplinary program that transfers the best practices of Canyon Ranch, through BHS health professionals, to underserved members of the Berkshire community to prevent, diagnose, and address chronic diseases. The CRI Life Enhancement Program uses the integrative-health approach to advance health literacy and improve health outcomes through physical activity, healthy nutrition, positive behavior change, and stress-management techniques.

“The health-improvement and participant results that Canyon Ranch Institute has achieved with its partners in other parts of the country are extraordinary,” said David E. Phelps, president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems. “While the CRI Life Enhancement Program is targeted toward some of the neediest members of our community, we expect the knowledge, skills, and experience to influence our overall healthcare delivery and programming as well, with our team members incorporating the principles they learn into all of their interactions with our patients and our community.”

The Canyon Ranch Institute Life Enhancement Program is a proven model to promote health and wellness that is replicable and sustainable, said Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th surgeon general of the U.S. and president of Canyon Ranch Institute.

“This program has positive effects in urban centers and rural communities,” he noted. “The leaders of Berkshire Health Systems understand that our nation can have the best science and the best systems of care, but if we’re not reaching the people who are most in need, then we still need to improve.”

The most recent Berkshire County Community Health Assessment report shows that the Berkshire community faces many health challenges affecting the overall health, wellness, productivity, and quality of life of its residents.

“The Canyon Ranch Institute Life Enhancement Program isn’t just about making a positive difference in the lives of the program’s participants. Evidence shows that the CRI LEP’s positive health effects extend into families, communities, and healthcare systems,” said Jennifer Cabe, executive director and board member of the Canyon Ranch Institute. “All of us at Canyon Ranch Institute are proud to partner with Berkshire Health Systems because BHS supports the health and wellness of its community, including low-income and traditionally medically underserved residents who have the highest rates of chronic diseases such as type-2 diabetes, depression, and heart disease.”

Although Canyon Ranch Institute Life Enhancement Program partnerships share a common set of core foundational and program elements, each CRI LEP site is unique and adapted to meet the cultural, geographic, linguistic, and health realities of each community.

Through this partnership with Canyon Ranch Institute, BHS professionals, representing all aspects of the integrative health model — physicians, physician assistants, nurses, exercise professionals, nutritionists, behavioral health specialists, community health educators, and others — are participating in a specialized education program designed by CRI, and will implement the best practices they’ve learned to measurably and scientifically improve individual and community health and wellness.