Kaiser Permanente Awards Over $1.5 Million in Workforce Development Grants

Total Health Organization's Funding to Eight Educational Institutions will Provide Scholarships and Enhance Health Education in Nursing, Allied Health, and Health Technology

ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States has awarded over $1.5 million in workforce grants to eight institutions of higher education, including five community colleges, in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.  As part of Kaiser Permanente's mission to invest in the future of health care and help build communities that sustain good health, the workforce development grants will support an estimated 2,404 students with scholarships, equipment, and educational training in nursing, allied health, and health technology.  

Workforce development grant recipients include: Baltimore City Community College Foundation, Howard Community College Educational Foundation, Montgomery College Foundation, Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation, Prince George's Community College Foundation, Community College of Baltimore County, University of the District of Columbia, and the University System of Maryland Foundation on behalf of The Universities at Shady Grove.

"Kaiser Permanente is a model for the future of health care and these workforce development grants demonstrate Kaiser Permanente's commitment to invest in, train, and educate tomorrow's health care professionals," said Maritha Gay, senior director of External Affairs, Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States.  "This is not only an investment in education enhancements for future health professionals, but will ultimately impact community health by creating improvements in quality of care."

The health care industry is in the midst of substantial growth.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10 of the 20 fastest growing occupations are health care related.  Additionally, health care will generate 3.2 million new wage and salary jobs between 2008 and 2018, more than any other industry, largely in response to rapid growth in the elderly population.

Workforce Development Grant Recipients

• $200,000 to Baltimore City Community College Foundation to support capacity building within the college's nursing and allied health programs to train nurses, practical nurses, and allied health professionals by increasing staffing and purchasing simulation equipment.
• $200,000 to Howard Community College Educational Foundation to provide scholarship awards used for tuition, books, supplies, and credentialing fees to nursing and allied health students with financial need.
• $200,000 to Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation to develop curriculum and build online capacity for training in health information technology.
• $200,000 to Prince George's Community College Foundation to increase simulation training in nursing and allied health.
• $200,000 to Community College of Baltimore County will provide scholarships to students seeking degrees or certificates in nursing or allied health.  The two-prong goal of the scholarships is to meet the workforce demands of the health care industry and to improve access to college for low income students.
• $200,000 to University of the District of Columbia will build capacity in health related programs and purchase simulation equipment to enhance instruction.
• $200,000 to University System of Maryland Foundation on behalf of the Universities at Shady Grove to provide scholarships to juniors and seniors enrolled in health care disciplines and demonstrate financial need.
• $198,824 to Montgomery College Foundation to purchase equipment for training nursing and allied health students in fields that are experiencing workforce shortages.

Investments in workforce development are part of Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States Community Benefit programs.  To learn more about Community Benefit, please visit http://bit.ly/eWrQU1.

About Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States
Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States region, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, provides and coordinates complete health care services for almost 500,000 members through 30 medical centers in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.  Founded in 1980, Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States is a total health organization comprised of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc., and the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, P.C., an independent medical group that features approximately 900 physicians who provide or arrange care for patients throughout the area.  Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States is considered one of Maryland's "Top HMOs," according to the Maryland Health Care Commission.  The health plan was ranked in the nation's 100 top commercial health plans and 20 top Medicare health plans – and the #1 Medicare plan for Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. – by "NCQA Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2010-2011 Private."  For more information about Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States, visit www.kp.org or follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/KPMidAtlantic.

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States