Coordinated Care, which provides health care coverage to more than 300,000 members across Washington state, along with the Centene Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), has invested $1.3 million in the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS), a scholarship and mentorship organization focused on championing Washington students for high-demand careers. The investment by Coordinated Care and the Centene Foundation is the largest investment in the WSOS program by a health care organization.

The investment is aimed at increasing access to health care careers for Washington students who have been historically excluded.

“Coordinated Care’s generous donation – the largest ever from the healthcare sector to WSOS – will help Washington students pursue the vital healthcare careers that our communities need,” said Brad Smith, WSOS Board Chair and Microsoft Vice Chair and President. “We are grateful for Coordinated Care’s outstanding commitment to addressing our state’s urgent need for healthcare professionals.”

Coordinated Care and Centene Foundation’s commitment will be matched dollar for dollar by the State of Washington, bringing the total contribution to $2.6 million and making it the largest investment in the WSOS program by a health care organization. 

“Coordinated Care is committed to finding innovative solutions to address local healthcare workforce shortages, and one of those solutions is supporting the next generation of talent,” said Coordinated Care President and CEO, Beth Johnson. “WSOS has a proven-track record of supporting first-generation, students of color, and underrepresented students, and this aligns with our goal to also increase diversity in our healthcare workforce.”

The Washington State Opportunity Scholarship program relies on community support. Other supporters include Microsoft, Boeing, The Ballmer Group, Ruben’s Family Foundation, BECU, Bristol Myers Squibb, Kaiser Permanente, Providence St. Joseph Health, and the State of Washington, WSOS’ largest investor.

WSOS’ community support alongside Coordinated Care and the Centene Foundation helps Scholars like Saihou reach their dreams and make a tangible difference in their community. See his full testimonial.

“WSOS opened the doors. That’s the only way I can say it – it opened a lot of doors. To have this and to be able to go to school, concentrate on school – if you have to worry about where you’ll get tuition, how to pay for books, it makes it so you’re not concentrating on learning. With WSOS, I have the opportunity to focus on learning and make good use of it. Being able to get this education means I can affect change. It means I’m able to say, this is why we need primary care in Wenatchee, this is why we need to go to Yakima and establish this program, and this is the data.” — Saihou, Graduate Scholar, Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Photo

About Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS)

WSOS, created by the Washington State Legislature in 2011, is supported by both the private and public sectors. WSOS offers four different scholarship programs that support Washington students pursuing bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, certificates, apprenticeships, and advanced health care degrees in high-demand careers in Washington state. The program has supported more than 18,000 Washington students, the majority of whom are first-generation, women, and students of color.

In addition to scholarship funding, the program offers an expansive career training program that includes peer and industry mentorship, paid leadership opportunities, travel stipends for nurses doing practicums in medically underserved areas, and additional funding for students in rural counties who face increased barriers to education. Tina, a Career & Technical Scholar, shares how WSOS helped support her through their flexible funding model. “I have dreamed of being a nurse, and with WSOS, I can finally study and enjoy school without worrying about where to find money for food or gas.”

About Coordinated Care

Coordinated Care provides free and low-cost health insurance coverage to more than 300,000 Medicaid, foster care, Medicare and marketplace members across Washington, with more than 47,000 providers in-network. Coordinated Care is committed to transforming the health of the community one person at a time. They treat the whole person by breaking down barriers to accessing care, walking members through their benefits, and connecting them to the care they need. Coordinated Care is a Washington managed care organization and wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise committed to helping people live healthier lives. To learn more, visit http://www.CoordinatedCareHealth.com.