Futuro Health Welcomes Dr. David Grossman to the Board of Directors

Futuro Health is pleased to welcome to its board of directors David Grossman, M.D., interim senior vice president, social and community health, for Kaiser Permanente.

Dr. Grossman leads Kaiser Permanente’s social health strategy in partnership with the Permanente Medical Groups and also oversees the organization’s public health advocacy and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. His work has led Kaiser Permanente’s efforts to advance a social health practice that connects members with social services, programs and resources to alleviate food insecurity, social isolation and other social needs.

“Dr. Grossman brings more than 30 years of medical, community health, research and higher education experience,” said Futuro Health CEO Van Ton-Quinlivan. “We are delighted to welcome him to the Futuro Health Board of Directors and especially value his experience and expertise around programs and practices that drive equitable health outcomes.”

National Skills Coalition Launch Industry Recovery Panels to Advise Biden Administration and Congresss

Futuro Health joins other business, labor and education leaders to inform one of four Industry Recovery Panels of the National Skills Coalition that will advise the Biden administration and Congress on federal recovery policies in the coming months. “We want to ensure that federal recovery efforts support the businesses and workers most impacted by the pandemic, particularly workers of color, women, and workers with a high school degree or less,” said Andy Van Kleunen, CEO of National Skills Coalition. “We know that skills training alone will not ensure an inclusive recovery, but we also know that it must be part of our nation’s federal policy response. If we want those policies to succeed, industry leaders must help shape them.” The Industry Recovery Panel initiative is supported in part by Walmart, JPMorgan Chase, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and Microsoft.

Futuro Health is offering free access to Worthi® by Citi, an online tool that offers market insights and resources for workers to improve their skills in today’s evolving job market. By providing access to the Worthi® tool, Futuro Health aims to give Californians, especially women impacted by the “she-cession,” more opportunities to explore nearby career opportunities and identify skills needed to increase their employability.

Pandemic-induced job losses come at a time in California when there is already a significant need for more allied healthcare workers. The state alone needs more than 65,000 allied healthcare workers a year. The estimated demand by 2024 is approximately 500,000. Futuro Health, with a student roster that is 85 percent female, is helping women pivot amid the pandemic by reskilling or upskilling for well-paying, in-demand allied healthcare jobs. The coronavirus-induced recession has been dubbed the “she-cession” because of the higher unemployment rate among women earlier in the pandemic, which came as restaurant, retail and hospitality shuttered--industries in which women represent a larger percentage of the workers.

“As the demands of work change, there has never been a more important time to consider the skills you already have and the skills you may need to succeed,” explained Valla Vakili, Managing Director and head of Citi Ventures Studio. “Futuro Health’s mission to support allied health workers in California is a perfect example of a burgeoning career that is in need of talented professionals. We are thrilled to be connecting the Worthi tool to Futuro Health’s network to help more people adapt their skillset for the work of tomorrow.”

Moscone Center Mass Vaccination Hub Students Gain Clinical Hours

When the Moscone Center vaccination hub was launched last month, the goal was ambitious to help usher in the end of a crippling pandemic. On March 11, just over a month later, the consortia of partners including Kaiser Permanente, Adventist Health, Common Spirit (formerly Dignity Health), American Red Cross, California Primary Care Association, California Medical Association, and Futuro Health surpassed the milestone of delivering the 100,000th dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the hub. Supply for the mass vaccination sites is coordinated in partnership with Blue Shield as the state’s third party administer to ensure vaccine is distributed equitably, with the greatest impact for communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19 infection and death.

“We have achieved this noteworthy milestone together, propelled by our shared vision of patient safety, health and well-being, and by our collective compassion for the communities we serve,” said Scott A. Keech, Assistant Medical Group Administrator at The Permanente Medical Group, Inc.

Futuro Health is supplying approximately 1,700 shifts of workers per month to staff the accessibility pod at the mass vaccination site at Moscone Center. These workers are students, faculty and licensed alumni from nearby colleges with allied health and nursing programs. The opportunity comes greatly appreciated especially by students who need direct patient care clinical hours for licensure.

“It’s been so important and inspirational to be part of such a huge public health initiative…and for students to really experience the true impact of nursing on the community,” said Julie Wirthington, nursing faculty at the College of San Mateo.

WorkforceRx Podcast with Jamie Merisotis, CEO of Lumina Foundation

Episode #13, The Robot Zombie Apocalypse is Not Coming

As President and CEO of Lumina Foundation, Jamie Merisotis has been a driving force in increasing access to post-secondary education not only for its economic benefits but because of the role education plays in cultivating the critical thinking essential to a functioning democratic society. Listen to a revealing conversation with Merisotis and Futuro Health CEO Van Ton-Quinlivan about rethinking how we can restructure education, work and benefits to better meet the challenges and opportunities upon us.

Jennine is a new student at Futuro Health who wants to give back to the community she grew up in. With the support of her husband, parents and Futuro Health Navigator, she is now pursuing her dream to work in health care and make a positive impact on the lives of others.

"It's very important to me to work towards a fulfilling job where I can serve my community," said Jennine. "I love the way the program is set up and that it has many resources to make you successful."

Jennine appreciates the ease and support provided by Futuro Health during the registration process and looks forward to starting her prerequisites. “Everything is set up to where it makes me feel very confident about my success.”

FUTURO HEALTH IN THE NEWS

Coronavirus: San Francisco to Temporarily Pause Mass Vaccination, The Mercury News

The Future of the Health Care Workforce: Virtual Care, Borderless Recruiting and Remove Working, Health Evolution

NSC and BLU Announce Industry Recovery Panels to Advise Biden Administration, National Skills Coalition

The Reinvention of Higher Education, The Evolllution: A Modern Campus Illumination

How Philanthropy Can Support Equitable Vaccine Distribution, Stanford Social Innovation Review[MT1] [VT2] [MT3]