Mercy Health-Youngstown Gets $2.5M ‘Retain’ Grant

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Mercy Health-Youngstown has been chosen to participate in a federal grant program, initiated by the U.S. Department of Labor and coordinated through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, to identify new, replicable strategies to help those who develop a potentially disabling condition remain at or return to work.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Retaining Employment and Talent After Injury/Illness Network (Retain) awarded a total of nearly $19 million in grants to eight state agencies.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services was the agency engaged in Ohio to receive a $2.5 million Phase One Planning Grant for an 18-month pilot period. That agency chose Mercy Health–Youngstown for the work.

The goal of the demonstration projects is to help Americans who are injured or ill remain in or return to the workforce. Early coordination of health-care services and employment-related support and services is a critical component, according to the grant announcement.

By testing and evaluating early intervention approaches, Retain aims to validate and expand the implementation of evidence-based strategies to accomplish this goal.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.