FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (December 13, 2022)—Sunshine Health is partnering with United HomeCare (UHC) to recruit and train home health aides in south Florida to ensure people have the community supports and services they need to retain as much independence and quality of life as possible.
Staffing in home care agencies was difficult prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and continues to be a challenge. The collaboration between Sunshine Health and UHC will provide free training to south Florida residents to help them jump start a career in health care and expand the number of people in the community who will have access to home health care supports to help them live safely at home.
Sunshine Health's support of UHC's training program, known as Learn & Work "Collaborating for a Better South Florida," will provide access to education and required trainings to help more than 100 people become certified home health aides at no cost to them. Classes will be held in-person at Sunshine Health's Broward County and Miami-Dade County Welcome Rooms. After completing 52 hours of training, program graduates are immediately placed by United HomeCare to provide personal care to patients with complex needs in their own homes.
"At United HomeCare, we're passionate about providing the necessary skills and training for workers that provide much-needed care to patients in their homes," said Carlos L. Martinez, president and CEO of United HomeCare. "We're grateful to Sunshine Health for partnering with us in this endeavor and providing our South Florida residents the opportunity to pursue a career in this critically needed health care field."
"We are committed to investing in the sustainability of the healthcare industry as a whole to increase access to quality, equitable care for our communities," said Nathan Landsbaum, Sunshine Health president and CEO. "The demand for home health care has increased significantly, and I'm thrilled to be partnering with United HomeCare. This investment in the healthcare workforce will ultimately benefit our most vulnerable and underserved communities by providing them access to care where they are."
Sunshine Health remains committed to providing residents with complex medical needs enrolled in Florida's long term care system access to the supports they need in their homes to improve their quality of life and keep them living in their desired community setting for as long as possible. By supporting programs like United HomeCare's Learn & Work and the recently expanded Sunshine Health Works program, the health plan continues to bolster the state's healthcare industry so all Floridians can have access to quality healthcare and increased workforce opportunities.
