Career pathways program aims to improve job placement in local communities

Jolene Tanner, Senior Director Health & Social Programs, UnitedHealthcare Community & State

Kerry Tracey- Director of Social Care Programs, UnitedHealthcare Community & State

Social drivers of health (SDOH), such as economic stability, significantly impact quality of life. A growing body of research shows income is linked to improved health outcomes by providing “material benefits, such as healthier living conditions and access to health care which can lead to a reduction in chronic stress.”¹ Dedicated to fostering healthier communities by enabling financial stability, UnitedHealthcare Community & State is collaborating with Goodwill Industries International to expand the Goodwill Opportunity Accelerator® (OA) career pathways model. UnitedHealthcare established a three-year, $4.5 million strategic collaboration to expand and increase its impact as the exclusive funder of the “Fueling the OA” initiative.

Goodwill is a non-profit organization with a mission to enhance people’s dignity and quality of life by strengthening their communities, eliminating their barriers to opportunity and helping them reach their full potential through learning and the power of work.²

Research shows up to 80% of a person’s health is determined by what happens outside of a doctor’s office.³ For example, employment status influences many aspects of life that affect health, including income, exposure to workplace hazards and the ability to access essential resources such as health care, housing, food and more. Employment and income status are inextricably linked to health. People who are unemployed or working in insecure, part-time or low-wage jobs are more likely to report poor or fair health and face more barriers to accessing health care and basic living essentials.⁴ According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “In 2020, 28.6 percent of low-income households were food insecure, compared to the national average of 10.5 percent” and unemployment is cited by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion “as one of the leading causes of hunger.”⁵

Goodwill Opportunity Accelerator®

This partnership will help expand Goodwill’s OA, a workforce development framework that equips job seekers with the resources needed to pursue and advance their careers. The initiative will connect individuals to career pathways, job training, certifications, apprenticeships and mentorships for continued career growth. Both organizations will collaborate with the public and private sectors to develop skilled talent for specific career paths matching current local hiring needs. Workforce training opportunities in career pathways have been shown to significantly increase educational attainment by 155% and industry-specific employment by 72%.⁶ Three of the industries this partnership will prioritize are health care, technology and clean technology, to meet growing workforce demands.

Participating local Goodwill organizations offer comprehensive support to job seekers, including financial literacy tools, life skills resources and assistance with SDOH such as transportation and childcare, helping them overcome barriers and transition into promising careers.³ OA is available to individuals who reside in the service territories of the 38 participating Goodwill organizations across 25 states. Individuals interested in services may contact their nearest local Goodwill career center and speak to a career navigator to determine what services and programs are available in their area. UnitedHealthcare members interested in employment and career advancement opportunities can be connected to their local participating Goodwill through member advocates, case managers and the member portal.

Cross-sector partnerships

UnitedHealthcare works locally with Goodwill to develop career programming that supports community needs.

Career pathways: UnitedHealth Group’s Early Careers program is piloting a pre-apprenticeship program in medical coding and billing with the Goodwill of North Georgia. Through the Early Careers program, UnitedHealth Group hires individuals in the early stages of their careers, including non-degree, undergraduate, clinical and graduate-level talent.⁷ Currently, individuals are receiving certification training from Goodwill. In October 2024, a cohort of participants will apply to be enrolled in the apprenticeship program and hired into medical coding and billing positions at UnitedHealth Group, where they will complete on-the-job training hours, receive guidance from a career navigator and earn a wage increase as they complete their Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship.

Communities of health: Goodwill of North Georgia is also supporting UnitedHealth Group’s Communities of Health initiative in East Point, GA with workforce readiness training. As part of UnitedHealth Group’s affordable housing investments, we partnered with housing developer, the Vecino Group, the National Affordable Housing Trust (NAHT) and the East Point Housing Authority (EPHA) on the $24 million redevelopment of Aya Towers.⁸ This property has been closed since 2004 and now includes 88 affordable one- and two-bedroom apartments for families earning between $30K and $40K annually. In addition to making safe and affordable housing available, several health and social services will be offered in adjacent buildings for Aya Tower residents. Goodwill of North Georgia is providing onsite career services to residents and community members. Goodwill has held a series of introductory sessions with residents, and onsite classes will be held at the new East Point Community Connection Center, which is anticipated to open in Q1 2025.

Digital connectivity support: The UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Florida enhanced their relationship with Goodwill Industries of South Florida by donating 50 laptop computers through UnitedHealthcare’s Community Computers Program. These computers are used by the Miami-based Goodwill to help job seekers and serve more people though their expanded Goodwill OA model.

Committed to improving the lives of its members, UnitedHealthcare Community & State’s work with Goodwill aims to help UnitedHealthcare Medicaid members and individuals in the community with job placement and advancement through certifications, thereby strengthening local economies through increased financial stability and wellbeing.