OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UnitedHealthcare announced the first recipients of grants for Empower Kansans, a three-year, $1.5 million initiative to support people living with disabilities in their search for meaningful employment.
The company awarded five local community organizations grants totaling $263,941. The grants are designed to support the first wave of professional development for Medicaid beneficiaries living with disabilities in Kansas who are seeking employment in the state. The grant recipients include:
- Assistive Technology for Kansas, University of Kansas
- Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation (CPRF)
- Community Health Center (CHC) of Southeast Kansas
- Cottonwood Inc.
- Sedgwick County Community Developmental Disability Organization
“My administration has worked to create jobs for all Kansans. This program will continue the effort to not only grow the Kansas economy, but ultimately make these Kansans more independent and help them to create better lives for themselves,” said Gov. Sam Brownback during a check presentation on the University of Kansas Edwards Campus.
“For these Kansans, finding a job empowers them in ways that reach well beyond income,” said Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer. “Meaningful employment is about eliminating barriers to help people live more independent and healthy lives.”
The Empower Kansans advisory committee brings together people living with disabilities, and local and regional community and business leaders. The program is designed to support Kansas businesses and the economy by addressing the needs for employment and those of employers. The second request for submissions is planned to distribute next week. For consideration of additional funds to be distributed this year and in the future, interested organizations can contact ks_community_plan@uhc.com.
“The Empower Kansans initiative will help people identify skills, passion and talents that support their overall wellness as healthy individuals and contributors to society – and we will all benefit from those contributions in Kansas,” said Timothy M. Spilker, president of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Kansas.
Today, UnitedHealthcare has more than 2,000 employees in Kansas and currently serves the health care needs of approximately 380,000 Kansans through UnitedHealthcare Medicaid, employer-sponsored and Medicare health benefit plans.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to
helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health
care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs and
sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers
the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers
and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with
more than 650,000 physicians and care professionals and 5,000 hospitals
nationwide. UnitedHealthcare serves more than 38 million people and is
one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified
Fortune 50 health and well-being company.
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