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 A Life Well Lived: CalHR Benefits Newsletter — August 2026 

August is National Wellness Month, a reminder to prioritize your health and wellbeing as routines and schedules shift. Whether you are preparing for back-to-school, balancing work and family or simply settling into a new season and new routine, your state benefits are here to support your health, wellbeing and peace of mind.

Back-to-School Savings Start with FlexElect

As many families prepare for the back-to-school season, now is a great time to review your FlexElect benefits. If you’re paying for eligible childcare or eldercare so you can work, the Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (DCRA) lets you use pre-tax dollars to help cover qualifying expenses.

The DCRA covers care expenses for children under age 13 (i.e., daycare, after-school programs and summer camps), and elderly or disabled dependents.

With the recent return-to-office transition, eligible employees may have 60 days from their department’s RTO date to make changes to their DCRA election. You can also consider this benefit during Open Enrollment for 2027.

A Healthy Smile Supports Your Overall Health

Good oral health is an important part of your overall wellbeing. Regular dental checkups and preventive care help keep your smile healthy and can support your overall health. Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, state employees and retirees will have more dental plan options, including:

• New PPO plan options through MetLife for more choice and flexibility.
• Simplified Delta Dental PPO plan names to make selecting a plan easier.
• Updated DHMO plans with added benefits, including implant coverage and cone beam imaging.
• Expanded statewide provider networks to help you find participating dentists more easily.

More information will be available during the 2026 Open Enrollment period, Sept. 14–Oct. 9, 2026.

Find the Perfect Eyewear for Back to School

As the new school year approaches, scheduling an eye exam is a simple but important step to help set your child up for success in and out of the classroom. A comprehensive eye exam can help identify vision needs early, support learning and ensure your child(ren) are able to fully participate in daily school activities from the start of the year.

If glasses are needed, your VSP Vision Care benefits offer access to a wide variety of frames for all ages and styles. From bright, playful designs for younger children to more classic or trend-forward styles for teens, there are options to match every personality.

Schedule an eye exam for you or your child before the back-to-school season starts and use VSP’s Find a PremierEdge location tool to find an eye doctor near you. 

Live Well: Family and Community Wellness

Family and community health are the cornerstones of a vibrant, fulfilling life, deeply influencing the wellbeing of everyone around us. Strong communities and supportive family networks provide the foundation for healthy habits, emotional resilience and lifelong vitality, helping to combat collective challenges like stress, social isolation and sedentary lifestyles.

Your family and community health matter. Taking small, consistent steps together can significantly strengthen your collective wellbeing and create a culture of wellness. Live Well, the state’s Employee Wellness Program, powered by Grokker, is here to support you and your loved ones with guidance on how to:

• Move your body: Engage in fun, group-friendly physical activities, like family walks, community sports or group fitness challenges to stay active while bonding with those who matter most.
• Manage social situations: Navigate social dynamics with confidence by practicing active listening, setting healthy boundaries and fostering meaningful, positive connections that reduce social anxiety and enrich your relationships.
• Support your loved ones: Navigate unique health and neurodivergent needs, such as managing diabetes, understanding autism, or creating structure for ADHD, with empathy, tailored routines and inclusive communication that helps everyone thrive.
• Enjoy a healthy diet: Prioritize shared, nutritious meals by cooking together, exploring wholesome recipes and making healthy eating a collaborative and enjoyable experience for the whole group.
• Secure your finances: Build a strong financial foundation for your family by creating collaborative budgets, saving for shared goals and having open, stress-free conversations about money to reduce economic pressure and increase peace of mind.

For helpful tools and resources on each of these topics, visit Live Well, powered by Grokker. You’ll find support to help you make progress, no matter where you’re starting. (Not registered yet? Start here!)

Back to Basics with Whole You

Did you know that simple daily routines can help you feel more grounded, focused and in control? Routines can sometimes be more beneficial than big goals, because:

• Small wins create lasting change
• Progress feels better than perfection 
• Consistency beats intensity 

Whether you’re supporting your family or navigating everyday responsibilities, , is here to help. Get matched with care, discover coaching, find family support, explore therapy and register for educational webinars for free.

This month, learn more about the importance of creating daily routines with Spring Health’s webinar Back to Basics: Daily Routines for Mental Wellness.

Look Out for Your Kids with Helpful Legal Resources

This month, access simple and practical resources from to help you look out for your kids. Learn about common legal issues kids may face as they grow up, to tips for keeping kids safe at school, to key documents kids should complete at age 18.

As Open Enrollment season approaches, now is a great time to consider whether the state’s legal benefit could be a valuable option for you next year. Did you know that 3 out of 4 individuals have faced legal troubles in the past three years? Most people think legal troubles are rare, once-in-a-lifetime events, but they are far more common than you think.

Financial Tip: Get Rewarded for Preventive Care

If you’re an excluded employee enrolled in Accident or Critical Illness coverage through The Standard, you have access to the Health Maintenance Screening (HMS) Benefit. You can receive a $100 cash benefit each year when you or your covered spouse/domestic partner complete qualifying preventive screenings, such as routine checkups.

What’s Happening This Month

Featured wellness webinars in August:

Physical Wellbeing

• Move It Monday – Aug. 3 and Aug. 17, 12:00-12:30 p.m.
• The Sugar Shift – Aug. 19, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
• Healthy Cooking Made Delicious (Live Cooking Demo) – Aug. 20, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
• Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia – Aug 25, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Social and Emotional Wellbeing

• Calm Sessions – Second Wednesday, 10:00-10:15 a.m. and Fourth Wednesday, 2:00-2:15 p.m. of each month. Join at the time of the event   
• Back to School, Back to Basics – Aug. 17, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
• Embracing Change: Tools to Navigate Life’s Transitions with Confidence – Aug. 27, 12:00-1:00 p.m.

Financial Wellbeing

• Personal Finance 101 – Aug. 4, 3:00-4:00 p.m.
• Money Matters – Making the Most of What you Have – Aug. 19, 12:00-12:45 p.m.
• Nearing Retirement – Aug. 27, 3:00-4:00 p.m.

For the complete wellness webinar schedule, visit the Upcoming Events Calendar.

Live Well in August

This August, focus on wellness during a season of changing routines. Scheduling preventive checkups, supporting mental wellbeing and staying on top of everyday health needs can help you and your family stay healthy, feel your best and save money.