Kaiser Permanente's $5M investment in Colorado schools targets absence problem

Key takeaways

• Kaiser Permanente is launching a major $5 million investment to address a growing public health concern for Colorado school districts: student chronic absence.
• Kaiser Permanente's ongoing commitment to Colorado schools helps districts address teacher and staff well-being, a key driver in costly turnover.
• Chronic absence, which is higher than average in Colorado, is often caused by health conditions and can lead to worse health outcomes over time. But districts often lack data pinpointing why a student is absent.

DENVER, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente is launching a new large-scale, multiyear investment in Colorado schools, which includes a focus on the growing public health concern of student chronic absence.

Kaiser Permanente intends to invest more than $5 million in Colorado schools over the next 3 years and provide innovative new tools, resources, and wraparound support.

The commitment will also continue Kaiser Permanente's leadership in addressing teacher and school staff well-being. This builds on resources that have already helped more than 50 Colorado school districts increase teacher and staff retention, as well as student engagement.

Colorado school districts are encouraged to reach out to discuss Kaiser Permanente's emerging opportunities.

"At a time when Colorado's school districts are struggling for resources to support teachers, staff, and students, we are stepping up to provide an ongoing commitment to address these pressing needs," said Cortney Eisses, regional president of Kaiser Permanente in Colorado. "It's exciting to see school districts building on work we started together decades ago, and we're looking forward to beginning new relationships."

The new chronic absence initiatives will give participating districts:

• New data tools to help track the reasons why students miss school, including health concerns
• Connections to community health providers and social health programs to help absent children get back to the classroom
• Grants and support to put the initiatives' strategies into practice

Teacher and staff well-being opportunities will help districts:

• Directly address well-being through grants, tools, and support
• Map out their well-being environments, strengths, and opportunities through Thriving Schools Integrated Assessment support and donations

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About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente serves 12.9 million members in 9 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers.  

Media contact
Andrew Sorensen
[email protected]

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente