Hire Heroes Program Launched to Place Veterans in Jobs

Hire Heroes Program Launched to Place Veterans with Disabilities in Healthcare Jobs

ATLANTA–Hire Heroes, a program designed to help veterans with disabilities find careers in the healthcare industry, was launched today by Health Careers Foundation, a non-profit healthcare education organization. The announcement was made during the general session of the MedAssets’ Healthcare Business Summit in Las Vegas, Nev. MedAssets is one of a number of healthcare companies providing funding to Health Careers Foundation.

As part of the Health Careers Foundation, Hire Heroes will help veterans returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom with any level of disability as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Through Health Careers Foundations’ connections within the healthcare industry, the Hire Heroes program will help thousands of our veterans with disabilities throughout our nation,” said Clayton Shepherd, chief executive officer, Health Careers Foundation. “By adding these honorable veterans to the healthcare industry, they will be able to continue to serve and to make a difference.”  continued…

Hire Heroes will identify veterans with disabilities who are seeking career placement services by working with transition centers and VA rehabilitation centers. Each applicant will be qualified and screened to determine career interests, job skills and location preferences. Additionally, Hire Heroes will work with potential employers by contacting interested healthcare companies to identify suitable positions for the veterans. Companies hiring veterans are eligible for a tax credit of $4,800 per hired hero and are entitled to a tax deduction for donations made to the program. The cost of ongoing operations will be covered by employer donations of $6,000 for each hired hero.

Hire Heroes’ goal is to place more than 8,000 heroes in jobs within the healthcare industry in the first three years of operation. The program start date is June 1. Efforts are underway to raise the necessary operating funds to make this program a success.

“Our mission is to be the bridge to the right healthcare career fit for our returning heroes,” said Bayne Tippins, director, Hire Heroes. “Currently, there is a shortage of employees in the healthcare field. Hire Heroes will help to ease this shortage as well as ease the transition from military to civilian life.”

The Hire Heroes program was inspired by the experiences of Justin Callahan, who served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom and is now a corporate event planner for MedAssets. While undergoing treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Callahan met John Bardis, chairman, president and CEO of MedAssets, by chance in a hotel lobby. Bardis extended a job offer to Callahan that day, and Justin has been a MedAssets’ employee since he officially retired from the military three years ago. Callahan’s experiences raised awareness and understanding of the challenges veterans with disabilities may face when re-entering and adjusting to the workplace, which led to the creation of Hire Heroes.

“This program gives guys a chance to start a new life and really opens paths for them,” Callahan said. “It is more than helping them out with a job. It’s about helping them grow stronger mentally and emotionally to have a more normal life.”

“With the support of the healthcare industry, Hire Heroes will help those who have defended this country so bravely conquer challenges they may face in securing employment and re-building their lives,” said Bardis. “I can think of no better way to show support and appreciation for the sacrifices these individuals have made to preserve our freedoms than to make the transition back to civilian life and work as simple as possible.”

To learn more about the Hire Heroes organization, please visit www.hireheroesusa.org, or contact Bayne Tippins, Director, Hire Heroes 1-866-915-HERO.

Health Careers Foundation

Health Careers Foundation, a non-profit healthcare organization, was founded in 1990 by a group of healthcare executives to assist those in need as they pursue their education in healthcare. To date, the foundation has assisted more than 4,500 individuals in 41 states and awarded more than $10 million in grants and low-interest loans. HCF focuses on helping to alleviate shortages of trained health care professionals in those areas most deficient, including:

Dietetics
Medical Records/Transcription/Coding
Medical Technology
Nursing
Occupational Therapy
Pharmacy
Physical Therapy
Radiology Sciences
Respiratory Therapy
Speech Pathology

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