GlobeNewswire Inc | May 5, 2021 02:29PM EDT

May 05, 2021

SPRINGDALE, Ark., May 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of efforts to boost the overall health and wellness of its workforce, Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) is partnering with Marathon Health to pilot seven Bright Blue health centers near company production facilities. The health centers will give Tyson team members and their families easier access to high-quality healthcare and, in most cases, at no cost.*

The health centers, which are operated by Marathon Health, provide primary and preventive care, including health screenings, lifestyle coaching and health education, as well as behavioral health counseling. They also collaborate with plant community health providers, including primary care physicians and specialists, to ensure appropriate care is delivered.

The naming of the health centers, Bright Blue, is intended to convey the outlook of a bright future thanks to easily accessible healthcare and the companys familiar heritage color, blue.

The first health center opened April 28 in Dyersburg, Tennessee, near the companys facility in Newbern, Tennessee. Lisa Davis, a 26-year Tyson employee, was the first team member to visit the clinic and her daughter was the first patient treated by Marathon Health staff.

We have three-year old twins and are often at the doctor for regular check-ups and runny noses, said Davis. My daughter Rylee has Down syndrome and is in speech therapy, so communication can sometimes be difficult. The staff was patient and we had an amazing experience. Well definitely be back.

Photos and video of the Newbern clinic can be downloaded here.

Were piloting these health centers to promote a culture of health and wellness in our company that results in a healthier workforce, said Dr. Claudia Coplein, chief medical officer for Tyson Foods. Some of our frontline team members arent using their health plan benefits, and others dont seek care until theres a crisis. We want to change that by providing access to care that can help detect health conditions early and promote healthy habits.

The clinics will also collaborate with plant community health providers, including primary care physicians and specialists, to ensure appropriate care is delivered.

The pilot health center project represents the expansion of the companys We Care workplace safety program to include overall team member health and wellness. It is an addition to the companys existing health services staff, which includes on-site occupational health nurses at most plant locations.

Partnering with Tyson to improve the health and wellbeing of their employees and families is an honor for Marathon Health, said Jeff Wells, CEO of Marathon Health. We offer care that often looks beyond the symptoms and helps people take new actions around their own health. We are excited to see the profound changes in the lives of the people we will serve at the Tyson health centers.

Opening dates for the health center include:

-- Newbern, Tennessee April 28 -- Green Forest, Arkansas May 12 -- Lexington, Nebraska May 12 -- Wilkesboro, North Carolina May 19 -- Center, Texas May 19 -- Storm Lake, Iowa May 26 -- Garden City, Kansas Summer 2021

The seven pilot locations will serve nearly 38,000 Tyson team members and their families. Spouses, dependents age 2 and older who are covered by the Tyson insurance plan, will be eligible. The clinics will be designed to serve a diverse workforce, providing communications in multiple languages.

The health center services are in addition to the benefits already offered to team members such as affordable health, life, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits. Tyson Foods requires all regular, full-time team members who have completed 59 days of employment to have health care coverage through either the company-sponsored health plan or through a family members plan. This means that 100 percent of the companys eligible team members have access to health care coverage.

The health clinics are the latest in a series of measures the company has taken to invest in the health and wellness of its employees. Since spring 2020, the company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to transform its U.S. facilities with protective measures, from walk-through temperature scanners and workstation dividers to social distance monitors and always-on testing, as well as provide additional team member pay and benefits. Tyson Foods has also expanded its health services staff and added a chief medical officer.

In addition, more than 40,000 Tyson Foods employees have been vaccinated so far at more than 100 events held onsite at Tyson facilities or in nearby community facilities. In preparation for vaccinations, Tyson Foods has been providing expert resources and education about the vaccine to team members. This information is available in multiple languages and team members also have access to a hotline to ask questions. In addition to offering free, on-site vaccinations, the company is also compensating workers for up to four hours of regular pay if they are vaccinated outside of their normal shift or through an external source.

*Team members enrolled in a high deductible health (HDHP) plan will pay a fee for visits until deductible is met. This applies to less than 2% of eligible team members.

About Tyson FoodsTyson Foods, Inc. is one of the worlds largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under three generations of family leadership, the company has a broad portfolio of products and brands likeTyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells, ibpandState Fair. Tyson Foods innovates continually to make protein more sustainable, tailor food for everywhere its available and raise the worlds expectations for how much good food can do. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the company has 139,000 team members. Through its Core Values, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity, create value for its shareholders, customers, communities and team members and serve as a steward of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it. Visit www.tysonfoods.com

About Marathon HealthMarathon Health operates health centers for employer organizations spread across nearly 40 states and within several industry verticalsunions, manufacturing, professional services, finance, school districts, city and county government, and hospitals. The Marathon Health approach integrates the best practices of advanced primary care, health assessment with risk identification, coaching and advocacy, behavioral health and therapy, occupational health, physical therapy, and disease management for high cost, chronic conditions. For more information, please visitwww.marathon-health.com.

Media Contact:Derek Burleson, 479-290-6466

Category: IR

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eb4dd3a5-5ebb-45f8-aa4e-b82e745ea4b8