VT RETAIN is a federally funded initiative to improve work outcomes for individuals with physical or mental health conditions.
BACKGROUND:
Vermont, along with four other states, were awarded a federal grant from the US Department of Labor from 2019-2025 to help keep people at work after an injury or illness.
This initiative, Retaining Employment and Talent After Injury/Illness Network (RETAIN) builds on a successful Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work program that originated in Washington State that significantly reduced social security disability costs.
As federal funding for VT RETAIN comes to an end, it is time to take what has been learned and apply it to a long-term sustainable plan to address work disability in Vermont.
CURRENT APPROACH & REACH:
The purpose of VT RETAIN was to increase workforce participation of Vermonters with physical and mental health conditions using person-and equity-centered stay-at-work/return-to-work strategies. The program sought to identify early and provide support to workers at risk for long-term work disability by coordinating health and employment resources. Our services were developed in collaboration with workers, clinicians, employers, and return-to-work professionals to close the gap between often separate employment and health systems to promote work and health outcomes. VT RETAIN aims to reduce the negative impact work disability has on Vermont individuals, families, and communities.
A key VT RETAIN service is Work-Health Coaching. VT RETAIN integrated Work-Health Coaching into the patient-centered “care home” model and used a team-based approach to ensure effective communication with participants’ medical care providers, employers, and other support systems. This led to partnerships with over 100 primary care clinics across Vermont and nearby New Hampshire, representing the majority of healthcare systems in the state of Vermont.
Through the VT RETAIN project, our team and partners have gained insight and expertise addressing work disability needs in Vermont. Our innovative educational efforts increased awareness among employers, individuals, and healthcare providers of best practices for staying at work or returning after illness or injury, the health benefits of appropriate employment, and the work benefits of optimizing health risk factors.
While 10,000 Vermonters requested VT RETAIN support for diverse physical and mental health barriers to employment, only 2,000 were deemed eligible based on early-intervention criteria per federal funding requirements. Of those, over 750 Vermont workers participated in the VT RETAIN project.
Our conclusion moving forward is that work disability prevention needs in Vermont far exceeded the target population for this “early intervention” federal initiative.
CALL TO ACTION:
As federal funding for RETAIN concludes, it is time for Vermont leaders to reflect on lessons learned and consider a sustainable path forward to meet the needs of Vermont’s workforce. Next steps involve collaborating with constituents statewide to develop a sustainable model that can reach a broader audience, identifying appropriate providers, settings, funding sources, and enhancing public awareness.
We begin that work with a first-of-its-kind Vermont Work Disability Prevention Summit which includes participants from across the state who will bring their expertise to this challenge.
Join us in strengthening Vermont’s workforce for a healthier, more resilient future.
Vermont RETAIN is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Social Security Administration under a grant award of $21,600,000 to the Vermont Department of Labor that will be incrementally provided. 100% of grant funding is from U.S. Federal funds.
This website does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor or the Social Security Administration, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.