In her final episode as host, Lacy Wolff shares insights on financial wellness through the ERS Buena Vida program and discusses how financial stress affects overall health and wellbeing.

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• Buena Vida ("the good life") is a comprehensive wellness program offering resources for physical, mental, and financial health
• 40% of health assessment respondents report financial stress affecting their health, job, or relationships
• The app serves as a "social media for wellness" with incentives for completing health actions
• Members can earn up to $99 in Buena Vida bucks annually through simple actions like health assessments and preventive exams
• Free mental health resources including MD Live and Doctor on Demand are available through the platform with no copay
• Texas Saver offers retirement planning, budgeting tools, and financial counselors at no cost
• Creating a realistic budget should include items that bring joy to make it sustainable
• The upcoming "Trek Through Texas" challenge encourages 7,000 daily steps (the optimal number for heart health)
• Financial stress impacts physical health through increased blood pressure, heart rate, and disrupted sleep

Thank you for the privilege of serving as your host. Since April 2021, we've recorded 81 episodes with over 28,000 downloads. The Buena Vida podcast will return with a new host after September 5th.

Sean Duffy, co-founder and CEO of Omada Health, shares how his company is supporting diabetes care by providing continuous support between doctor visits through digital health technology. His journey from medical school to creating a healthcare solution that puts a "care team in your pocket" demonstrates how technology can help bridge critical gaps in traditional healthcare delivery.

Key topics discussed:

• Founding of Omada and Omada for Diabetes
• 15% of ERS population lives with diabetes, higher than the national average
• User experience: monitoring devices, a dedicated care team, and AI-powered tools at no out-of-pocket cost
• Program focuses on sustainable 5% incremental changes rather than dramatic lifestyle overhauls
• AI technology helps users easily track meals and understand their personal glucose responses
• Human element remains central with consistent coaches who provide accountability and personalized support
• Walking after meals and other small behavioral changes can significantly impact glucose management
• Future innovations will continue blending AI capabilities with human compassion and expertise

To register for Omada for Diabetes, check out the HealthSelect Omada for Diabetes Webpage. Contact Sean directly with feedback at sean@omadahealth.com.

Michael Bates' journey from correctional officer to Deputy Director of Rehabilitation and Reentry at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice reveals what true transformation looks like, both personally and systemically.

When Bates began his career in 2008, he saw TDCJ primarily through the lens of security and public safety. Today, he champions a more holistic vision: one where rehabilitation, dignity, and second chances stand alongside those crucial safety measures. His rapid rise through the ranks—becoming assistant warden at just 30 years old—taught him valuable lessons about leadership, humility, and the importance of experience.

What makes this conversation particularly powerful is Bates' candor about his own shortcomings. He shares how his younger self lacked empathy for staff with family responsibilities, and how becoming a parent himself transformed his understanding of work-life balance. This personal growth mirrors the evolution he's helping lead throughout TDCJ, where innovative programs are changing lives daily.

The Bartlett Innovation Unit stands as perhaps the most visible example of this new approach. Here, incarcerated individuals care for animals, receive vocational training, and participate in moving "bell ceremonies" when someone completes their sentence. Dressed in donated suits with jobs often already secured, these individuals ring a bell symbolizing their transition to freedom while the entire facility cheers them on.

Bates also speaks truthfully about the mental and physical toll correctional work takes. His personal health journey—giving up Dr Pepper, meal prepping, and exercising despite grueling schedules—offers practical wisdom for anyone in demanding professions. His definition of "the good life" as achieving meaningful work-life balance resonates far beyond prison walls.

Whether you work in corrections, public service, or simply care about how our justice system might better serve both public safety and human dignity, this conversation offers hope that through dedicated leadership and innovative approaches, transformation is possible—one person, one program, one bell ceremony at a time.

If you are interested in donating a suit to the Bartlett Innovation Unit, please send to: 1018 Arnold Drive, Bartlett, Texas 76511. Attention: JessieMajors