Yoopers are Getting Hired through Application Drives

A man sits at a table and fills out an application at an application drive.

You may have seen our roving RV around the Upper Peninsula more than usual lately. No, we aren’t taking an extended summer vacation. It’s been acting as our rolling billboard at our recent application drives. What’s an application drive, you ask? Sit back, relax, and let us explain.

Job fair attracts crowd to Depot Park

A man writes on a table at a job fair.

The Upper Peninsula Michigan Works! office held its first job fair since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday in Ironwood’s Depot Park. The job fair offered job seekers a chance to see what type of employment is available locally.

Working and Thriving from Home – A Success Story

A woman sits at a desk with a laptop and poses for a picture.

Teresa, a single mother of 3, was unemployed and had barriers to getting back to work, including a lack of childcare for her child, the loss of financial assistance, and health problems, all of which blocked her from returning to her job as a bartender.

Go, Jamie, Go! – A Success Story

A person gives a thumbs up with the UP Michigan Works logo overlayed.

Jamie came to Upper Peninsula Michigan Works! (UPMW) as an application eligibility period (AEP) participant through PATH, a cash assistance program, in December 2020. She had over fourteen barriers including health problems, legal problems, financial troubles, and more.

Medicaid in the Upper Peninsula

Navigating health coverage and work requirements can be confusing, so here’s a simple guide on how the program works and who fills what role:

Medicaid is a health care program funded by the state and federal government that provides health care services to eligible, low-income Michigan citizens, including adults, children, the elderly, pregnant woman, and some people with disabilities.

  • Upper Peninsula Health Plan (UPHP) is a managed care organization licensed by the State of Michigan to provide Medicaid medical services. UPHP helps eligible members access healthcare services, providers, care management, and member support after they are enrolled in Medicaid. They are the only organization of this kind in the Upper Peninsula. 
  • Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) administers Medicaid in Michigan, determines eligibility, manages enrollment through MI Bridges, and oversees Healthy Michigan Plan work requirement policies and exemptions.
  • Upper Peninsula Michigan Works! (UPMW) helps individuals connect with employment, education, training, and career services that may help them meet Healthy Michigan Plan work requirement activities and achieve their employment goals.

To learn more about Medicaid in the U.P, visit UPHP.com.