Transcript Health Professions Opportunity Grant

Pathways to Healthcare Program:
Health Profession Opportunity
Grant
Start with the End in Mind: A Case Study of Adult
Education as a Path to Career Training
Start with the End in Mind: A Case Study of
Adult Education as a Path to Career Training
Jodi Perin, Christopher Parisoff, and Carlos Cocio
Pima Community College
Tucson, Arizona
Question
What do you hope to learn from this
presentation?
Agenda


Background/national context
Health Profession Opportunity Grant
 Federal
level
 Tucson, AZ



Overview of our ABE/ASE (“College Readiness”)
classes
Lessons learned/tips
Questions
Background/national context


National unemployment rate
Growing need for skilled, educated workforce
(Community College Times March 7, 2012)
 Health

Care (regulations/certifications)
Many adults even with high school diplomas lack
basic skills in reading, writing, and math
 E.g.
New York 2010 – only 37% h.s. graduates are
“College Ready” (NY Times June 14, 2011)

States and others defunding adult education
Health Profession Opportunity Grant: federal level




5-year grant through U.S. Dept. of Health and
Human Services
Assist low-income populations to transition into
careers in health care
Variety of services
http://hpogcommunity.acf.hhs.gov/Lists/Grantee%2
0Directory/GranteeMap.aspx
Health Profession Opportunity Grant:
Tucson, AZ
 County One Stop (unemployment
services) serves as entry point;
provides intake, case management,
career counseling, employment
services and assistence, supportive
services (multiple sources, e.g. WIA)
 Community College provides adult
education, college advising, funding
for tuition, and college-track or
career training education
HPOG grant: The Pathways Model




remove barriers
give training in health care
field
student gets job
student can come back for
additional training and
continue on “pathway”
Community Health Advisor
24 months
$9.50
Direct Care Professional
6 months
$10.50
Clerk- 1 month
Spec.- 6 months
$10.50 Clerk
$12.00 Spec.
Nursing Assistant
2 months
$11.00
Phlebotomy
6 months
$12.00
EMT-Basic
5 months
$17.00
Medical Office (Clerk/Specialist)
1
Medical Assistant
Medical Records (Technician/Coding)
15 months
2
Patient Care Technician
10 months
1-4 months dep.
on cred v clock hr
$13.00 ($15
with cert.)
$14.00 tech
$16.00 coding
Surgical Technologist
12 months
Clinical Research Coordinator
24 months
$20.00
EMT-Paramedicine
12 months
$19.00
24 months
$21.00
13 months
$22.00
18-24 months
$16 ($18 w
cert.)
Practical Nurse
Pharmacy Technology
3
Avg.
$15.17
$13.00
$18.00 ($19$20 w cert.)
Health Information Technology
Avg.
$10.92
Avg.
$19.60
Health Profession Opportunity Grant:
Tucson, AZ
 Supportive
services for students
 Case
management through One Stop
 “College Readiness” classes = adult education
 Designated advisors at Community college
 Employability
Services and Assistance
 Limited financial assistance for students
 Emergency
assistance, bus passes, etc.
 Unemployment Insurance
 Tuition (total or partial)
 Books and supplies
 No living stipend
Health Professions Opportunity Grant
at Pima Community College

Eligibility criteria
documented U.S. and county residents
 70% of poverty level or receiving unemployment/TANF
 Desire to pursue career in health care


College Readiness students demographics
Most have high school diplomas
 Mostly women
 Age range
 With and without experience in health care
 Varied academic needs
 Some receiving Unemployment Insurance

Health Profession Opportunity Grant:
Tucson, AZ
History: “Contextualized” adult education classes
first developed for displaced workers, later
classes focused on green energy, machine tool
technology, former construction workers, and
healthcare
College Readiness classes

TABE 4th grade and above
 Reading
 Math
 Writing/Language

Two formats:
 Classroom,
24 hours per week (80% attendance
required)
 Open laboratory, up to 24 hours per week (flexible
attendance)
College Readiness classes

Prepare students to take the Accuplacer exam
 Nursing
Assistant: R7, M6, L6
 Practical Nurse: R12.9, M9, L10
 Medical Assistant: R9, M9, L9



College and Career Success – career exploration
and soft skills
Combination of classroom instruction and
educational software (Skillstutor and New Century)
Excerpts from health care textbooks used in reading
and language curriculum
Example of a Training Textbook
College Readiness classes: Preliminary
Successes




Retention rates –82%
81% advanced at least one level in the TABE test
after completing a 10-week class
Transition to Community College Programs – 56%
within 6 months of completing College Readiness
class
College/career success skills
 Soft
skills instruction
 Guest speakers
 Field trips
College Readiness classes: Preliminary
Challenges





Student Recruitment
Timeline of College Readiness and career training
programs
Wait period based on training program start
Varied student academic needs
Student personal challenges
Lessons learned/tips



Value of experience working with lowincome/marginalized populations
Allow paid instructor time for on-going curriculum
development, including coordination with career area
experts and partners (advisors, etc.)
Set clear expectations with students (e.g. syllabus)
Attendance expectations
 Class goals
 Instructor role
 Community College advisor role
 One Stop role
 Timelines for entering training

Lessons learned/tips: Communication

Student goal-setting and monitoring (tracking
tools/mechanisms)
 Shift

from crisis to planning
Discuss training start dates early on to avoid
frustrations regarding wait period. Also, while
waiting students may:
 Attend
the “open lab” to maintain skills
 Go to “student lounge” (in future)

Partnership is critical – instructor, advisor, and One
Stop--Communication is key
Lessons learned: Participatory
Approach




Foster student ownership of classroom and class
agenda
Solicit class feedback
Ask students what they need more practice with
Regular journaling/reflection
 Students’
past experiences/anxieties (e.g., with math,
school)
 Class activities, guest speakers, field trips
Lessons learned: Participatory
Approach



Class discussions, structured and spontaneous
Create an environment conducive to expressing
doubts/frustrations
Two-part class contract
Lessons learned/tips: College Success

Connect students to college norms and life
 Campus
visits
 Guest speakers
 College/Career Success skills: note-taking, studying,
test-taking, etc.

Provide opportunities for career exploration
(explicit and implicit)
Being part of a family: value of the
cohort model


Importance of personal relationships for students
(see Community College Times March 2, 2012)
Students have expressed being “part of a family”
 Establish
friendships and build networks that can help
support them during difficulties and after session ends
 Teacher models desired behaviors

Community building activities:
 End
of session celebration potluck or restaurant outing
 Watched movies based on class readings
Being part of a family: value of the
cohort model


Acknowledge and praise student successes
Encourage students to share what they are doing at
school with their family
A
shared homework time with their children
Questions
Testimonial

Sergio, a current HPOG College Readiness student
Contact information



Jodi Perin, [email protected]
Christopher Parisoff, [email protected]
Carlos Cocio, [email protected]
Please email Jodi or Chris or if you would like a copy
of:
• Sample class syllabus
• Sample goal setting and goal tracking tools