Clergy Wellness Plan 2024
Guide to Incentives

The purpose of the Rio Texas Conference Clergy Wellness Program is to offer opportunities for clergy to improve their health in a holistic way, to support them in serving as strong leaders for our congregations and ministries. We are very grateful for the generous support of Methodist Healthcare Ministries (MHM) toward this end.

The incentives offered for 2024 are intended to be a flexible system that will support the creation of physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness programs that will work best for each individual. Note that there are 2 types of wellness incentives. The HealthFlex incentives are available only to participants in the Rio Texas Conference Health Insurance plan.

To access the HealthFlex benefits, visit the Wespath Benefit Access website:
my.benefitsaccess.org/login.
The Rio Texas Incentives are available to all active clergy appointed in the conference, their spouses, and conference staff. The Rio Texas incentive program is funded by MHM and there is no health insurance requirement to participate.

If you have questions about incentives or reporting, please contact Eve Albert, evealbert@riotexas.org.

Spiritual Directors

Need help with deepening your spiritual life? Consider working with a Spiritual Director. A Spiritual Director will walk with you to establish, increase, and deepen your lifelong journey for growth in your relationship with God. A number of trained and certified Spiritual Directors have offered to make themselves available to assist with spiritual direction for our Conference. You can find the list here and contact them directly to learn of their availability. Click on link to see list of Spiritual Directors.

If you, or someone you know is a certified spiritual director and would like to be added to the list as a resource, please contact Eve Albert.

Later this month Rev. Sheri Clifton (North Shore, Canyon Lake) and Rev. Paul Escamilla (retired) will team up to lead The Art of WellBeing, a six-session online course for clergy exploring the mysteries and means of moving toward wholeness in personal and vocational life. They will explore creativity, receptivity, vocational renewal, body care, cultivating our social matrix, and crafting a rule or rhythm of life as pathways to balance, joy, and wellbeing. Paul and Sheri describe the course, which was created by Rev. Vicki Johnson, as “an invitation to flourish,” to move toward greater wholeness through the work of grace and the readiness to practice its dance steps.

For clergy seeking such a time apart and time together, consider this your invitation to flourish . . .

HealthFlex Incentives

HealthFlex Incentives is a health insurance program that provides benefits to all it’s participants enrolled in the health plan. Only insured participants are eligible to participate.

Wespath Benefit Access

To access health benefits, click on Link: my.benefitsaccess.org/login.
Scroll down to Well-being and click on Well-being details to see all the HealthFlex programs. The following wellness programs are available: Virgin Pulse, Blueprint for Wellness, Health Check Assessment, Health Coaching, EAP (Employee Assist. Programs), WW (Weight Watchers) and the Diabetes Prevention Program. Please note that some programs are time sensitive

Physical: Activity Wellness Points

Information: January 1 - December 31, 2024
HealthFlex Incentive: Up to 150 Wellness Points = $150 PulseCash

Activity: Blueprint for Wellness Screening

Information: January 1 – August 31, 2024
Blood test and biometric screening, completed during annual conference or at a lab appointment scheduled locally.
HealthFlex Incentive: $100 PulseCash

Activity: Health Quotient Online Health Assessment

Information: January 1 - August 31, 2024
HealthFlex Incentive: Complete by August 31, to reduced health insurance deductible the following year ($250 individual/$500 family)

Activity: Virgin Pulse Rewards

Information: January 1 - December 31, 2024 Enroll at virginpulse.com, then track your progress on your computer at the website or on your phone via the downloaded app. Virgin Pulse syncs with step and various activity trackers.
HealthFlex Incentive:  Up to $160 PulseCash

Activity: Diabetes Prevention Program

Information: Two ways to participate: Online or in-person in your local community For HealthFlex participants at risk to develop type 2 diabetes or heart disease. Length of Program: Year 1 - 16 weekly sessions and ongoing support. Year 2 - maintenance. Eligible HealthFlex participants receive a free wireless weight scale linked to your account. Click on links for more information: Omadahealth.com/Wespath. Visit: DoIHavePrediabetes.org to see if you are eligible to participate.

Activity: Weight Watchers (WW)

Weight Watchers (WW) HealthFlex pays 50% of your membership fees.

Activity: EAP

Confidential counseling and support to help manage issues in your personal and professional life. Have access to eight free sessions per year. Participants covered are eligible including household members not covered by Healthflex. A new benefit called TalkSpace was been added in 2023.  It’s a new way to receive EAP (Employee Assistance Plan) support. You can now text or video chat with a licensed therapist via TalkSpace. To get started, contact the EAP at 1-866-881-6800 to receive an authorization code and registration instructions. 

Activity: Health Coaching

Health coaching helps you improve your health and well-being by providing support and motivation to make healthy changes.

Rio Texas Wellness Incentives

The Rio Texas Wellness Incentives Program is a conference program funded by Methodist Healthcare Ministries (MHM) our Partners in Ministry. We are grateful to MHM for their generosity and financial support. Eligible to participate: All appointed active clergy serving in the Rio Texas Conference, their spouse and conference staff members.

Physical - Rio Texas Incentives: $400 maximum

Activity:  Weight Loss Program

Information: Determine your starting Body Mass Index (BMI; any Wesley Nurse or other health professional can assist you). Earn $50 for each BMI point lost from the original BMI, up to 8 points or $400. Complete Physical Care form and submit proof of beginning weight and ending weight.

Rio Texas Incentive: $50 per BMI point lost; $400 maximum Starts: January 1, Ends: December 15, 2024
Link: Physical Wellness Reporting Form

Activity: Physical Wellness Support

Information: Submit receipts of up to $150 for the purchase of items. Examples: Gym memberships, Personal Trainers, Weight-loss membership fees, tracking fitness devices, sports event fees (marathons, 5k..), nutrition or other costs associated with your physical wellness. Report change in activity level or fitness that resulted from the expense.

Rio Texas Incentive:  Up to $150 (paid as reimbursement. Must submit receipt/s) Starts: January 1, Ends: December 15, 2024
Link: Physical Wellness Reporting Form

Mental/Emotional - Rio Texas Incentive: $100 maximum

Activities: 

• Massage Therapy* $100 - Relieve Stress and Anxiety

• Wellness classes/sessions* - $75 - Examples: Yoga, Meditation, Enneagram, Wellness courses or webinars...

• Wellness conversation - $50 - EAP or Counseling MHM Partner Agencies or other licensed Therapist

Fulfillment options for Wellness Conversations:

a) Conversation with a counselor of your choice, at your cost (insurance coverage is based on selection of health plan chosen).

b) Schedule a conversation with a counselor through EAP (Employee Assistance Program) / 800.788.5614 or www.provider.liveandworkwell.com. An initial number of sessions are free through EAP, with the option of continuing sessions with a low co-pay.

c) Schedule a conversation with a counselor at one of the MHM partner agencies. Once you identify your-self as a participant in the Rio Texas Clergy Wellness Program, the cost of this conversation will be covered by MHM funds.

• The Ecumenical Center / 210.616.0885 - Serving San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley and surrounding areas

• West Texas Counseling and Guidance / 325.944.2561 - Serving San Angelo and surrounding areas.

  https://www.sanangelocounseling.org/staffMembers/view/ben-hubert-lpc

• The Samaritan Center / 512.451.7337 - Serving Austin and surrounding areas.

• For a Spanish speaking Counselor contact:

  Rev. Dr. Esteban Montilla, Ph.D – Bilingual in English and Spanish Holds conversations via phone, Zoom and Skype.
  Phone: 210.378.0412, Email: remontilla@gmail.com, Zoom ID: 913 9899 9717, Skype ID: remontilla

• New Life Institute/ (512) 469-9447

  Jeanna Martin, M.A., LCP (Texas #76063)

  Other Counselors

  For a listings of other available licensed counselors in your areas click here: List of RTX Therapist

Rio Texas Incentive: up to $75 *Submit related expenses with online reporting.
Link: Emotional Wellness Reporting Form

Spiritual - Rio Texas Incentive: $150 total maximum

Activity: Spiritual director visit

Information: Set time for intentional spiritual reflection and accountability.  See the list of available directors provided by the clergy orders. Report the name of your spiritual director and the date of visit(s). Incentives available for up to three visits.

Rio Texas Incentive: $50 per visit, maximum $150 total.

Activity:  Personal, group, or couples retreat

Information: Schedule a retreat day for yourself or your group, or use the services of a spiritual director.  Submit related retreat expenses with completed Spiritual Wellness Reporting Form.

Rio Texas Incentive: $150 maximum
Link: Spiritual Wellness Reporting Form

Click here for reporting form.