Valued Voice

WHA members are invited to participate in WHA’s inaugural Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers: Workforce Well-being Summit on September 10, 2026.

The complimentary summit will launch Phase 2 of the statewide Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers initiative and provide Wisconsin health care organizations with early access to The Breen Scale™, an evidence-informed assessment developed by the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation to help organizations evaluate and strengthen the systems that support workforce well-being.

The summit is designed to meet organizations wherever they are in their workforce well-being efforts. It will provide an opportunity for members to learn from national experts, connect with peers and consider practical tools that may support ongoing work within their own organizations.

Phase 2 builds on the success of Phase 1, which focused on reviewing credentialing applications to ensure they were free from intrusive mental health questions and stigmatizing language. To date, 77 hospitals and health care facilities across more than 30 counties have earned recognition as Wellbeing First Champions, positively impacting more than 22,000 credentialed health care workers statewide.

At the center of Phase 2 is The Breen Scale™, a 36-question assessment that focuses on the key areas of leadership and accountability, governance and communication. When the assessment is completed, participating organizations receive a customized report identifying organizational strengths, opportunities for improvement and potential next steps.

Because workforce well-being often involves many parts of an organization, members may wish to participate with colleagues from areas such as executive leadership, quality and safety, human resources, clinical leadership, operations, informatics or frontline teams. Participating with a small group can help organizations discuss the information together and identify approaches that fit their own structure, priorities and workforce. 

The summit will feature nationally recognized leaders in workforce well-being, including Gaurava Agarwal, MD, Chief Wellness Executive and Vice President at Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, and Stef Simmons, MD, Chief Medical Officer at the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation. Attendees will hear expert insights, connect with peers and participate in interactive workshop experiences designed to support continued learning and discussion.

Participation in Phase 1 is not required to join Phase 2. Organizations that are new to the Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers initiative are welcome.

If an organization cannot send a full team, WHA welcomes participation by one or two representatives who can bring information and resources back to their organization. The summit will also include discussion about ways to engage broader leadership and workforce well-being teams after the event.

Summit Details
Date: September 10, 2026
Time: 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Hilton Garden Inn Madison–Sun Prairie

Contact WHA Chief Quality Officer Nadine Allen with questions.