“Let’s Get Those Health Care Questions Answered!”

Rapid Response in RI

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• Rapid Response Services are provided by the Business Workforce Center as part of an integrated service delivery to employers

• Business outreach is conducted daily to develop relationships with businesses to to provide services and assistance during various phases of the business cycle

• BWC continually looking at additional resources and partnerships to include as part

of the Rapid Response team

• Formerly partnered with RI Housing to inform unemployed workers of “Hardest Hit Funds” available to provide eligible applicants with mortgage payment assistance and or payment reductions

• Partnership contributed toward total expenditure of funding available

Health Care and Employee Benefits Resource Providers as Part of the RR Team

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• The greatest areas of initial interest and inquiry for individuals attending a Rapid Response are Unemployment Insurance, Health Care and Pension/401k information

• Information regarding any of these areas is not always communicated effectively or proactively from HR to the employee regarding options and resources

• RI has partnered with US DOL Employee Benefits for several years and call the Benefits Specialist for every RR scheduled

• With the roll out of the Affordable Care Act, RI Rapid Response sought out a connection to understand the programs available at the same time representatives from Health Source (RI’s Health Care Exchange) were also looking to connect with the Department of Labor & Training to get information to the unemployed.

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• Initial Meeting with Health Source representatives and Business Workforce Center scheduled to gain understanding of each other’s programs and services

• Commitment made for Health Source to attempt to attend as many RR events as possible

• Health Source presence an immediate success at RR with additional requests for repeated presentations as RR attendees discussed with families and questions developed.

• Business Workforce Center and Health Source Reps also are partnering to reach out to Employer Community to explain options and services to businesses i.e. connecting Health Source with the Society of Human Resource Management to do a presentation.

• Future plans may include Health Source reps to participate in employer outreach activity via on site company visits.