The Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center's personnel task force won a national honor for being an innovative program contributing to the well-being of its employees.

The American Psychological Association identified the 450-worker center for employee involvement through the task force. Nine other organizations receiving the best-practices honors ranged from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to the Houston Texans NFL franchise.

"Embodying the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Center philosophy of inclusivity, its personnel task force engages employees from all levels of the organization in a process of turning new ideas for organizational improvements into reality," according to the Washington-based association.

The association noted among the practices that have emerged from the center's task force were exemptions from scheduled health premium increases for employees participating in an exercise program or healthy diet and research on health-related issues that involved the community and draw on the expertise of the center's employees.

Joyce O'Brien, center associate director, said the employee-run task force is made up of people who are selected annually to represent their departments. The group meets once a month to talk about personnel-related issues, discuss events and consider employee suggestions.

O'Brien said a member from the center's human resources department or administration typically sits in on the meetings and that subcommittees can meet more frequently.

The American Psychological Association said the task force has helped bolster morale and increase job satisfaction at the Wai'anae health center.

"Retention rates sit an impressive 85 percent and WCCHC relishes its reputation as a desirable workplace," the association reported.

"Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that nearly half of Wai'anae Coast residents trust WCCHC for their healthcare needs. What better way to lead than by example?"

The center was selected as a state winner by the association about two months ago, and then competed with others for the best-practices honors in a competitive evaluation and judging process.