Here you will find information to assist and motivate you on your wellness journey, including information about the University’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), as well as upcoming Level 2-approved wellness events and contacts for the Wellness Committee members (we are always welcoming new members!).
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The EAP is a free, voluntary and confidential service provided by Cigna. It provides employees, retirees and their household members with assessments, consultations and referrals to resources.
The EAP is designed to assist you in dealing with a wide variety of personal concerns, including:
- Alcohol and substance abuse
- Stress
- Mental health
- Family/marital matters
- Childcare and eldercare issues
- Financial/legal concerns
- Domestic violence resources
- And much more
The EAP offers counseling services up to six sessions per person, per issue. If a referral for additional services or treatment is necessary, EAP counselors will help employees locate services that are convenient, appropriate, and affordable. Counselors are licensed healthcare professionals including psychologists, clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists.
To consult with an EAP representative, call 1.877.622.4327.
Wellness
The 2024 UMS Wellness Website is available and contains links to the EAP, Omada, the Cigna Wellness site, answers Level 1 and Level 2 questions, and more. Please note that this updated website replaces the traditional Wellness Guide.
Release & Assumption of Risk Form required for all Level 2 activities
Please note that all Level 2-approved activities require a completed Release and Assumption of Risk Form, excluding the TrestleTree webinars.
New this year, we have updated our campus-specific forms to include the activity name and a space for your employee ID. We ask that your form be filled out completely and sent to usmwellnesscommittee@maine.edu or, if applicable, given to the onsite contact at group events.
To access the correct form, please click on the event you wish to participate in under Upcoming Wellness Events in 2024.
For those faculty and staff that may be participating with a spouse or domestic partner who is also seeking Level 2 credit, please be sure to use your employee ID on their form.
Please note that to receive credit for offsite events, such as our Pineland Farms Snowshoeing event and our USM Hikes Bradbury Mountain event, you must check in with the on-site contact during the announced check-in time. We are no longer able to provide incentive credit for late arrivals.
Overview of Level 1 and Level 2 Incentives
Upcoming Wellness Events
The following events are all approved for Level 2 credit.
| Event | Date | Location & Details |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Pineland Farms Snow-shoeing and Cross-Country Skiing Event | CANCELLED | We are pleased to invite you to self-report your snow-shoeing or cross-country skiing activity during this time period. Complete a Risk & Release of Liability form prior to completing this event and email it to usmwellnesscommittee@maine.edu. Click here for directions to Pineland Farms. |
| Maine Gay Volleyball | Every Saturday at 10am-12:30pm | Maine Gay Volleyball (MGV) is a recreational sports group that strives to create a fun, safe, and social environment for the LGBTQ+ community to come as they are and play to their abilities. MGV primarily consists of intermediate to advanced level players, however all experience levels are welcome. Indoor play takes place at USM’s Sullivan Gym in Portland every Saturday through May 2024 from 10am-12:30pm. This is run as a drop-in group; therefore, no advanced registration is required. Level 2 incentive has been approved for any member of the USM community who wishes to participate in one of the Saturday volleyball sessions. FMI: Please contact daniel.barton@maine.edu. |
| Pickleball | Mondays & Wednesdays, 12pm – 1pm. | Drop in for a game of pickleball, every Monday & Wednesday from 12pm to 1pm in the Costello Sports Complex Fieldhouse on the Gorham campus. Complete a Risk & Release of Liability form prior to completing this event and email it to usmwellnesscommittee@maine.edu. |
| Yoga in the Gallery | See Dates | Yoga in the Gallery, which takes place on the Gorham USM campus within the Art Gallery. Save the dates on your calendar: February 15, 2024 7 – 8 pm, alongside the Art Department Exhibition March 21, 2024 7 – 8 pm, alongside the Juried Student Exhibition April 18, 2024 7 – 8 pm, alongside the Bachelor of Fine Arts exhibition To obtain the level 2 incentive, please complete this form and return it signed to usmwellnesscommittee@maine.edu. |
| Memorial Ruck Event | April 19, 2024 | In memory of one of our University of Southern Maine students, Chris Gelineau. We will be starting at USM and will meet at 9:45am between Glickman and Wishcamper. We will step off at 10:00am and walk the Back Cove loop. The route will take about 2 hours, and we’ll return back to USM for a light bagged lunch at 12:00pm in the McGoldrick Center. Please RSVP here to attend this event! |
| University of Southern Maine Softball Team | April- June 2024 | Are you interested in participating on a USM Softball team? Join Daniel Barton and other members of our community for the South Portland Softball Rec League. When spring arrives, that means that the softball season is soon to start! This is a Monday night league, which starts in late April and will end in late June. All games will be played at the Wainwright Field Complex. Game start times vary between 5:30 – 8:30pm. Please note that there is a small per person cost that is approximately $35-45 for the season. To sign up, please complete the Recreational Softball League Interest Form by April 5th. |
| Level 2-approved Hikes/Walks | May 1st through November 30th, 2024 | Choose from any of the Southern Maine Eastern Trails, Thorncrag Sanctuary (Lewiston/Auburn), Lewiston/Auburn Riverwalk (Lewiston/Auburn), Cherry Hill Farm (Gorham), Shaw Park (Gorham), Indian Cellar Preserve (Hollis), or Indoor Wellness Walking (Sullivan and Costello Complexes), Robinson Woods Preserve (Cape Elizabeth). Walking trails and hikes outside of the approved list are excluded from the USM level 2 incentive. Please reach out to the UMS Benefits team at wellness@maine.edu to inquire about possible approval of other walks/trails. Please be sure to complete these two steps to earn level 2 credit: 1. Complete a Risk & Release of Liability form prior to completing this event and email it to usmwellnesscommittee@maine.edu. 2. Self-report your completion of the event (see instructions below). |
| TrestleTree Webinars | Webinar Dates Listed on Webpage | No Release Form required. Visit Connections & Learning @ USM for the schedule. There are a variety of dates and times to match your schedule! |
| Annual Fall Rucking Event | TBD 2024 | Enjoy a healthy boxed lunch and connection directly following the Ruck. Pre-registration required. Please be sure to complete a Risk & Release of Liability form prior to completing this event and email it to usmwellnesscommittee@maine.edu. |
| Annual USM Hikes Bradbury Mountain | October 2024 – Exact Date TBD | Pre-registration required. Bradbury Mountain directions. |
*Self-Reporting Instructions: Complete the Release and Assumption of Risk form above, take a picture of yourself (and spouse or domestic partner if applicable) and email both to usmwellnesscommittee@maine.edu. We’ll do the rest and make sure that your information is submitted to our benefits team for level 2 credit.
Additional Wellness Activities & Programs
These activities/programs can also help you achieve Level 2 credit!
Sullivan, Costello, and LAC Fitness Centers:
Do you enjoy working out at the Sullivan, Costello or LAC fitness centers? Level 2 is approved for this activity if you swipe in a minimum of 5 times a year. If you do not swipe in, we will be unable to track and verify your attendance. Swiping in at the fitness center is the mechanism for us to create a report which is sent directly to our benefits team for your Level 2 incentive credit.
Contact USM Wellness Champion Kevin Normand with questions. Please be sure to complete the Release Form located within Employee Self Service in MainStreet, along with any fitness center-specific forms, prior to beginning your workout.
It is important to note that USM Fitness Centers do not provide any type of waiver or pass to allow for faculty and staff to workout at other UMS locations. Please connect directly with the campus you wish to visit for their specific guidelines.
For those wishing to have a spouse or domestic partner use the USM Fitness Centers, please connect directly with Kevin Normand to review the steps for access.
Weight Watchers, NOOM, and Jenny Craig:
Are you currently participating in Weight Watchers, NOOM or Jenny Craig? These programs are approved for Level 2 credit. You must actively participate in the program and be able to provide evidence upon request. The online community event form must be completed when requesting a level 2 award. Request this form from the UMS Benefits team at benefits@maine.edu or wellness@maine.edu.
Wellness Committee
- Katie Andrews, Associate Financial Analyst, Finance and Administration
- Zorica Andric, Administrative Specialist, Student Affairs
- Cathy Clements, Administrative Support Supervisor, Office of Admissions
- Renee Cote, Project Assistant, Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Community Impact
- Lisa Eddy, Project Specialist, Campus Human Resources Services
- Amy Geren, Policy Associate, Cutler Institute
- Natalie Jones, Vice President, Human Resources and Workforce Development
- Kevin Normand, Wellness Champion and Manager, Sullivan Recreation and Fitness Center
- Lorrie Spaulding, Director, Military Affiliated Student Hub (MASH)
Collaborators
- Joe DiSalvo, TrestleTree Health Coach (joe.disalvo@trestletree.com)
- Outdoor Adventures Board (OAB) – Facebook and Instagram: @oab.usm
Questions?
UMS Wellness: wellness@maine.edu
Employee Benefits Center: benefits@maine.edu or 207-973-3372.
Questions about USM-specific wellness events should be emailed to the USM Wellness committee: usmwellnesscommittee@maine.edu.
Have you been participating in an activity that you think may qualify you for level 2 credit? Email wellness@maine.edu and inquire!