RICHMOND, Va. — Paralyzed Veterans of America’s (PVA) first Vocational Employment Counseling Center for veterans with spinal cord injuries (SCI), which opened in July 2007 in partnership with Health Net Federal Services, LLC, the government operations division of Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT), reports groundbreaking success.
The center was opened to reduce the unemployment rates of veterans with SCI by bridging the gap between this unique veteran population and the resources that can help them to unleash their potential and pursue opportunities for substantive, gainful employment. The center currently provides rehabilitative and vocational rehabilitation services to 74 veterans with SCI, seven of whom are now gainfully employed as a result of the center’s employment placement assistance.
“Health Net Federal Services is extremely pleased with the remarkable success of PVA’s specialized rehabilitative counseling services for veterans with these injuries,” said Steve Tough, president, Health Net Federal Services. “We look forward to our continued partnership with PVA to extend this unique program and continue to promote an equitable quality of life for many more veterans with SCI.”
“It is important for the SCI veteran to be able to return to a normal life, and a very important part of that is employment and the self-worth and personal satisfaction that come with it. The ongoing successes that we are seeing with this program and the fact that we have almost 10 percent employed in less than six months is cause for celebration,” said Randy L. Pleva, Sr., president, Paralyzed Veterans of America. “PVA looks for continued growth of this critical program and is grateful to Health Net for paving the way.”
The success of the center is due to the design of the program, which allows vocational rehabilitation counselor, Rick Schiessler, the opportunity to meet with veterans early and often during their medical rehabilitation. Schiessler is onsite at Hunter Holmes McGuire Veteran Affairs Medical Center’s Spinal Cord Injury Center, allowing him to develop a rapport with veterans and their family members. This face-to-face contact is important in successfully providing mental, emotional and psychological support during the rehabilitative process.
Developing interactive partnerships with local and worldwide employers interested in hiring veterans with SCI is critical to the center’s success. To date, Schiessler has successfully reached out and marketed to hundreds of employers who are interested in hiring veterans with SCI.
As a result of program growth and success, PVA will look at expanding this specialized program to other locations. For more information, call the PVA Veterans Benefits Department at 1-800-424-8200.
About Health Net
Health Net, Inc. is among the nation’s largest publicly traded managed health care companies. Its mission is to help people be healthy, secure and comfortable. The company’s health plans and government contracts subsidiaries provide health benefits to approximately 6.7 million individuals across the country through group, individual, Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE and Veterans Affairs programs. Health Net’s behavioral health subsidiary, MHN, provides mental health benefits to approximately 7.0 million individuals in all 50 states. The company’s subsidiaries also offer managed health care products related to prescription drugs, and offer managed health care product coordination for multi-region employers and administrative services for medical groups and self-funded benefits programs.
For more information on Health Net, Inc., please visit the company’s Web site at www.healthnet.com.
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Health Net, Inc. and its representatives may from time to time make written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in news releases, in Health Net’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in the company’s reports to shareholders and in meetings with investors and analysts, within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical information provided herein, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s analysis, judgment, belief and expectation only as of the date hereof, and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Without limiting the foregoing, the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “estimate,” “intend” and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially due to, among other things, rising health care costs, negative prior period claims reserve developments, trends in medical care ratios, issues relating to provider contracts, litigation costs, regulatory issues, operational issues, health care reform and general business conditions. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risks discussed in the “Risk Factors” section included within the company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.
Health Net, Inc. Margita Thompson, 818-676-7912
