Banner Health receives grant to enable jobs program

GREELEY — The Banner Health Foundation has received more than $1.5 million from two different federal funding programs — $809,715 from the Colorado Office of  Economic Development and International Trade through the Opportunity Now Colorado grant program and $717,000 from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s Employment  and Training Administration for a career pathways program.

The grant will enable the training of frontline health care workers in Colorado.

The OEDIT funds will support the creation of a new paid internship program for high school seniors interested in exploring administrative, professional and clinical careers within health care called the Healthcare Education, Advancement and Leadership Program. Banner was selected as a Phase 2 seed grant recipient through Opportunity Now — an $85 million grant program catalyzing transformative change for Colorado’s workforce. 

“This Opportunity Now Colorado funding is significant because it recognizes the critical need we have in our  community related to health care and, more importantly, supports a solution,” Margo Karsten, Banner Health Western Region president, said in a written statement. 

The funds from the Department of Labor will be used to support career pathway developments that equip existing Banner staff working in lower-wage, entry-level jobs to advance and transition into higher paying positions. The program will leverage higher education partners including Aims Community College, Front Range Community College, Herzing University, Morgan Community College and Red Rocks Community College. 

Intermountain Health, which operates Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette, also was a recipient of grant money.

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