As Nation Ages and Care Demands Rise, Nonprofit Transforms Thousands of Lives Through No or Low-cost Opportunities for Adults to Pursue Healthcare Careers
As Nation Ages and Care Demands Rise, Nonprofit Transforms Thousands of Lives Through No or Low-cost Opportunities for Adults to Pursue Healthcare Careers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 20, 2023
Media Contact: [email protected]
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Futuro Health is pleased to announce a new $100 million commitment to its nonprofit mission from Kaiser Permanente through the recent collective bargaining settlement reached with the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions. The Coalition unites more than 85,000 healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente medical facilities across the country.
The infusion of the new funds will broaden Futuro Health’s impact into additional states beyond its initial presence in California, beginning with Colorado, Oregon and Washington, with plans to expand to states in the eastern United States as well, marking a significant step in addressing the critical staffing shortfalls experienced by healthcare facilities nationwide.
To date, Futuro Health has actively transformed more than 9,000 unique individual’s lives by empowering them to pursue and dedicate themselves to a fulfilling career in healthcare. Spotlighted in forums of the World Health Organization and National Governors Association, Futuro Health also holds grants and contracts from numerous employers, state and federal agencies, as well as philanthropic sources.
Every Futuro Health Scholar’s personalized education journey is designed to develop their confidence, essential interpersonal skills, and technical readiness for entry level roles that include Medical Assistant, Patient Care Representative, Sterile Processing Technician, Phlebotomist, Pharmacy Technician, Peer Support Specialist and more through an ecosystem of colleges and education providers. Moreover, Futuro Health provides training through micro-credentials for existing healthcare workers to better perform in their current roles.
“This program is great. I have a lot of knowledge. I just needed the certificates and the training to get me into the right place,” said Lisa D., a Futuro Health Scholar who is studying to become a Medical Assistant. Futuro Health Scholars are 85% ethnically and 52% linguistically diverse, with an average age of 31, and go on to serve the communities that they reflect, improving health equity.
“We’ve proven that there are compassionate individuals out there who want to be in service to others,” states Van Ton-Quinlivan, CEO of Futuro Health. “These untapped labor pools need a supported and streamlined path to enter into healthcare, and we are seeing adults by the thousands complete their education journeys to commit to a career in healthcare.”
Futuro Health launched its nonprofit charter in 2020 with $130 million in initial funding as part of a labor agreement reached by Kaiser Permanente and SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU- UHW) and was established to improve the health and wealth of communities by growing the largest network of allied health workers through investing in allied health education, skills training and retraining.
“Futuro Health is a game-changer in addressing the healthcare staffing shortage by offering a unique approach to training and supporting future healthcare workers,” said Dave Regan SEIU-UHW President and Futuro Health Board Chair.
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SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) is a healthcare justice union of more than 100,000 healthcare workers, patients, and healthcare activists united to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality care for all Californians, provided by valued and respected healthcare workers. Learn more at www.seiu-uhw.org.