SuperJobs Center Humming Along

 

Cincinnati Firefighters are recruiting at SuperJobs. Firefighter Brendon Arrick is helping spreading the word.

After a short break, the SuperJobs Center has reopened and is back to helping match local employers with skilled workers who want employment.

On July 1, JFS staff officially took over operation of the SuperJobs one-stop employment center from a private vendor. The center was closed for a week as we made changes and got up to speed, but it is now business as normal.

The SuperJobs Center, 1916 Central Parkway, is a valuable local service that brings together services for job seekers and employers under one roof. It is a one-stop center where job seekers receive job training, career coaching and job leads, while employers can post jobs, have applicants screened and obtain funds to train potential new employees. More than 25,000 job seekers were served in 2011.

JFS, which has always had a really close relationship with SuperJobs, was chosen by the Southwest Ohio Regional Workforce Investment Board to operate the center with an eye toward cutting $500,000 in administrative costs.

Many local residents are unaware of the role the center plays in the area’s economy. Some employers, such as Children’s Hospital Medical Center, rely heavily on SuperJobs to help fill key vacancies. And when a company such as Avon or Jim Beam must shut down part or all of its operations, SuperJobs helps transition, re-train and find employment for dislocated workers.

Our plan is to make the center even more of a go-to source for area employers looking for trained workers. We intend to play a key role in getting this community’s economy rolling again. We will reinvest saved administrative dollars into tangible services such as funding for training and education.

Advertisement

Prescription Drug Discount Card Helping County Residents

Our new prescription drug discount drug card program is rolling along. A record number of users purchased prescriptions with the card in September, saving more than $16,000.

Last month, 764 users purchased 996 prescriptions with the card, saving an average of $9.95 per purchase. Since the program’s launch in January, 5,691 users have purchased 11,622 purchases with the card, saving a total of $109,446. This is an average cost savings of $9.42 per purchase and more than 21 percent off of regular prices.

I am not surprised by this. With the economy what ist is, many county residents are looking to cut costs wherever they can. If they can save a little on prescription drugs, it helps when they are faced with an electric bill or putting gas in their car or putting food on their table.

The prescription drug discount cards are available under a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties (NACo). There is no cost to the taxpayer for the program.

The cards may be used by all county residents, regardless of age, income, or existing health coverage, and are accepted at most pharmacies throughout the county. More than 1,000 counties throughout the country participate in the program and a national network of more than 59,000 participating retail pharmacies will honor the NACo prescription discount card.

Among those who benefit from the program:

• County residents who are uninsured.
• County residents who are insured but a drug may not be covered on their insurance plan.
• County residents who must buy human drugs for their pets.

The cards are available at the County’s Job and Family Services Department, 222 E. Central Parkway or 237 William Howard Taft Road, at branches of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, YMCA branches, the Council on Aging of Southwest Ohio and many social service agencies, such as the FreeStore Foodbank and Talbert House. Residents can also call 946-1010 or visit www.HamiltonCountyRx.com for more information.

We are very happy that we are able to help in any small part we can.