Contact: Eileen Rivera
703.284.5674

PEARSON GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS SUPPORTS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO BUILD NETWORK OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

Web Site and Toll-Free Number Aims to Recruit Volunteer Nurses, Physicians, Mental Health Workers To Assist with Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

ARLINGTON, VA, September 14, 2005 - Pearson Government Solutions donated the services of 100 professionals to assist the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) answer calls from health care professionals and relief personnel who can volunteer with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

On September 3rd, HHS established a website and toll free number (1-866-KAT-MEDI) to identify a wide range of health care professionals in an effort to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. HHS reached out to Pearson Government Solutions to assist with answering calls from health care professionals and encourage them to visit the website and register to volunteer (https://volunteer.hhs.gov). Pearson agreed to provide call center professionals at no cost to the government. During the first two weeks of operation, Pearson Government Solutions answered over 6,600 calls from health care professionals, averaging over 600 per day.

"Pearson Government Solutions is proud to work with the Department of Health and Human Services in a mission-critical program. The health care needs in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina are substantial. We are pleased to help by providing resources to recruit quality health care professionals who can offer their expertise to the people who need it most," stated Mac Curtis, President and CEO, Pearson Government Solutions.

Pearson Government Solutions has partnered with the Department of Health and Human Services since 2002 in support of 1-800-MEDICARE, one of the largest citizen contact management programs in the Federal Government. Since 2004, Pearson has supported the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with the CDC-INFO program which provides timely, science-based and consistent health information to the public.

"The desire of America's health care professionals to use their skills to help the survivors of Hurricane Katrina is inspiring. The website and toll-free number are important tools to reach these professionals. We are grateful to Pearson Government Solutions for their unwavering support during a critical time of need," stated Mike Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services.

About Pearson Government Solutions

With nearly 5,000 employees worldwide, Pearson Government Solutions, Arlington, Va., serves the U.S. federal, state and local, and international governments; higher education institutions and student financial aid entities; and the worldwide telecommunications industry. The company designs, builds, and operates solutions that optimize the performance of public sector entities in delivering information, benefits, and services to their constituents. Clients include the Federal Communications Commission; the U.S. Departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Justice, Labor, and Veterans Affairs; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Social Security Administration and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Pearson Government Solutions is a business of Pearson, the international media company. Pearson's primary operations include Pearson Education, the Financial Times Group, and the Penguin Group.