Grant to help Connecticut jobs
Posted on September 30, 2018
A new federal grant will go towards bettering Connecticut jobs.
The Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) has been awarded a $2.1 million federal grant as part of the Retaining Employment and Talent After Injury/Illness Network (RETAIN) initiative, designed to improve the retention of workers after an illness or injury. The grant, which as a focus on providing more proactive stay-at-work/return-to-work (SAW/RTW) services, will test the impact of early intervention on SAW/RTW outcomes.
Connecticut is at its strongest when the diverse talents of our workforce are making meaningful contributions in the workplace and to our economy,” Governor Malloy said. “The time is right for this initiative in Connecticut, where there is a significant need for earlier return-to-work communication and services to prevent long-term disability. This grant will help us enhance those efforts.”
The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the Employment and Training Administration, and the Social Security Administration. CTDOL’s Office of Workforce Competitiveness will lead the RETAIN-CT partnership in an 18-month pilot project with UConn Health Center, The Hartford, and Capital Workforce Partners. State partners also include the Department of Rehabilitation Services, the Department of Public Health, the Connecticut Employment and Training Commission, the State of Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Commission, and the Connecticut Business Leadership Network.
“Injury or illness shouldn’t mean unemployment, and this major federal grant will ensure that Connecticut workers have the support and resources they need to stay on the job safely, enabling them to support their family and continue to contribute to our economy,” Senator Richard Blumenthal, Senator Chris Murphy, and Congressman John Larson said in a joint statement. “Connecticut is once again serving as a model for the nation – building unique partnerships and collaborations that can be replicated nationwide. We look forward to working with the state to ensure Connecticut receives additional funding in future years for this important effort.”
“The RETAIN-CT project represents a new, coordinated effort among several state agencies working in collaboration with healthcare providers and insurers to improve long-term return-to-work and job retention outcomes for workers in the greater Hartford region that have emerging musculoskeletal concerns,” Governor Malloy added. “This state-level intervention program will build a strong partnership between trained healthcare providers, insurance case managers, and return-to-work coordinators.”
