Sunflower Awarded DisAbility Champion Honor
Date: 11/01/16
Kansas City, Missouri
The Greater Kansas City Business Leadership Network (GKCBLN) today named Sunflower Health Plan as the 2016 DisAbility Champion Award recipient at their annual awards event at Kauffman Foundation Conference Center.
John Holt, Fox4 news anchor, was the event emcee, and the keynote message was delivered by Deb Dagit, former vice president and chief diversity officer at Merck. Award recognition is based on Sunflower's commitment to employing individuals with disabilities as well as noteworthy programs and initiatives that support their employment practices.
“We are excited to honor Sunflower for their ongoing work in the disability inclusion space. Our award recipients are industry leaders who demonstrate a strong commitment and strive to create and foster a culture that includes people of all abilities. Being named a GKCBLN Champion is not only an acknowledgment of success; it is a demonstration of a long-term commitment to better business outcomes by leveraging disability inclusion in the workplace.” said Rob Hoffman, executive director, Greater Kansas City Business Leadership Network.
Sunflower has taken a leadership role to enhance a variety of programs supporting disability inclusion and employment. In 2016, the company accepted statewide management responsibilities of Project SEARCH, a nationwide program supporting students with disabilities who seek competitive employment when graduating from high school.
Sunflower is also a host site for internship rotations and has already hired a Project SEARCH intern in a full-time position. We sponsor and volunteer mentors for Disability Mentoring Day events across Kansas, with the goal to “promote disability as a central component of diversity recruitment for a more inclusive workplace.”
"Our inclusive workplace is owed to our continued support and enhancement of these statewide employment opportunities as well as our current workforce, which passionately promotes the abilities and successes of all people," said Chris Coffey, Sunflower Health Plan president & CEO. "We are honored to be recognized today by the Greater Kansas City Business Leadership Network and are thankful for their support to area businesses in promoting workplace inclusion."
Sunflower Health Plan covers approximately 145,000 lives in Kansas and is currently contracted to serve beneficiaries in the State of Kansas medical assistance and Home and Community-Based Services programs. Sunflower has contributed to improved health and wellness outcomes for its members, such as controlling diabetes and increasing immunizations. They partner with physicians, specialists, hospitals, and other providers to ensure each member receives the right care, at the right time, in the right setting. Sunflower Health Plan believes that treating people with kindness, respect and dignity will empower healthy decisions.
About Greater Kansas City Business Leadership Network
Established in 2009, the Greater Kansas City Business Leadership Network (GKCBLN) is a business to business coalition and affiliate of the U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN) founded in 1994. GKCBLN provides employers with networking and educational opportunities and best practice sharing to maximize the impact of including people with disabilities in the workforce as part of a sound diversity and inclusion strategy. For more information, visit http://www.gkcbln.org/.
About Sunflower Health Plan
Sunflower Health Plan, a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, is a managed care organization established to deliver quality healthcare in the state of Kansas through local, regional and community-based resources. Sunflower is committed to improving the health of its beneficiaries through focused, compassionate and coordinated care in an approach based on the core belief that quality healthcare is best delivered locally. For more information, please visit www.sunflowerhealthplan.com.