Baptist Health South Florida has launched a new benefit that will help employees get to work without worry when their regular child, adult, or elder-care arrangements fall through.

The benefit, Backup Care Options, offers temporary, subsidized care for employees’ loved ones in the employee's or family member's home. Care for healthy children can also be provided in a child care center.  Examples of situations when the service will be used include caring for children when school is out of session, caring for a mildly ill child or caring for a spouse following surgery.  A low co-pay of $2 per hour per child for center-based care, or $4 per hour for up to three dependents for in-home care applies.  All employees are eligible for the program and will receive a bank of 50 hours of care for the remainder of 2007, which will increase to 100 care hours in 2008.

“Healthcare is a demanding profession, and our employees deserve to be able to come to work without worrying about care for their loved ones while they’re on the job,” said Lil LeBlanc, corporate director, work-life effectiveness.  “Backup care is a great benefit that’s more and more frequently offered by employers of choice like Baptist Health.  We are proud to be able to assist our employees with this important benefit.”

Nationally recognized for years as a best employer by Fortune and Working Mother magazines, Baptist Health has contracted with Work Options Group, a Colorado-based firm that manages a network of licensed in-home and center-based care agencies in order to provide short-term care in all 50 states and Canada.  Baptist Health is Work Options Group’s first client in South Florida.

Backup Care Options is available to Baptist Health employees 24 hours a day. All caregivers receive background checks, CPR and first aid training, and are licensed, bonded and insured.  Child care centers must meet or exceed state licensing regulations and guidelines, including background checks, health and safety standards, and staff-to-child ratios.

“This benefit is a God-send; I have a 15-year old with special needs and I recently used the service because I had an early morning meeting and did not want to interrupt my son's routine. It worked out beautifully. The care-giver was at my house bright and early and I was able make my presentation without having to worry that my son was home alone, " said Ann Marie Levering, nurse clinician, South Miami Hospital Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine department.

The new benefit is the result of efforts by Baptist Health’s work-life task force, part of the organization’s Great Place, Great People initiative.  Comprised of leaders from across Baptist Health, the task force has met over the past seven months to analyze the organization’s work-life benefits and what Baptist Health could do to help employees better balance their personal and professional responsibilities.

Baptist Health South Florida, headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida, is the region’s largest faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare organization.  It includes Baptist, Baptist Children’s, Doctors, Homestead, Mariners and South Miami Hospitals, as well as Baptist Outpatient Services, Baptist Health Enterprises and Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute.  Baptist Health is South Florida’s largest private employer, with 11,400 employees.