Health Alliance receives National Employer of the Year Award For Efforts to Recruit People With Disabilities

The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati has earned a National Employer of the Year Award from the National Association for Persons in Supported Employment (APSE) for their efforts to hire and retain individuals with disabilities.

Since 2003, the Health Alliance has employed a dedicated job developer, Chris Kennedy, to work exclusively with individuals with disabilities. She assists applicants in identifying their vocational strengths and weaknesses and searches for a position that would be an appropriate job match given these experiences and skills. As part of the process, she analyzes job requirements and possible accommodations and provides support if needed to new hires with disabilities.

In addition, Kennedy offers vocational counseling to individuals with disabilities applying for positions and follows up with managers and coworkers after placement to ensure the position is a good fit.

Kennedy said she receives a lot of positive feedback from managers and coworkers about the employees she has placed."Many say these individuals are an inspiration to their departments.They love their jobs, and their attendance is excellent.We have an excellent retention rate among this population."

The Health Alliance's human resource department has also received other recent recognition for its work with individuals with disabilities, including the Employer of the Year Award (2005) from the Ohio Association for Persons in Supported Employment and the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission cover story in NewsNet magazine (2005).

The Health Alliance is an integrated health care delivery system that includes The Christ Hospital, The University Hospital, The St. Luke Hospitals, The Jewish Hospital, The Fort Hamilton Hospital and the physicians of Alliance Primary Care. To view other Health Alliance news releases, go to www.health-alliance.com/pressroom.