Organizational example:

Organization/Program

Certified Nurse Aide Training Program
Community Action, Inc.
Haverhill, MA

Program Purpose

To meet the training needs and the skills requirements of the Long Term Care industry.

Program Description

This program serves low income adults who have poor/no work history, may be deficient in basic reading and math skills, or have low English proficiency levels.

The current program is a twelve week/ 30 hours/week program with a staff of two RNs and a Program Counselor. This program offers the traditional Red Cross training in Certified Nurse Aide as well as Home Health Aide, Care of Alzheimer patients, First Aide and CPR. The basic three-week Red Cross training curriculum is combined with nine weeks of basic and soft skills training in order to reach those who are not prepared for the core CNA training.

The program operates with three staff: a registered nurse (RN), who delivers the hard skills training; a Coordinator/Instructor, also an RN, who reinforces the hard skills training while delivering employability/soft skills training; and a Program Counselor, who assesses each client for needs and then works with them to develop plans of action to overcome barriers. In addition, the Program Counselor works with the instructors, the client, and employers on job placement.

The Program Counselor works with about 12-15 students per 12- week training cycle three times annually (36 students average over the year). Weeks one and two of the training are considered "crisis weeks," in which the case manager works individually with students to overcome challenges that arise from making the transition to a 30 hour training program. A newly added component of the program, the Rental Assistance Program, (RAP) provides rental assistance to newly employed CNAs for up to one year after training completion. Because the funds for this are limited, not all students participate in this. But for those with the most serious barriers to employment this extra support during these early months further adds to their chances of success. Those who have participated in the RAP program gradually increase their portion of their rent as work and life stabilize until they no longer need this support.

Progress

Since its beginning, 322 students have enrolled in the C.N.A. Program. To date, 92%, or 295 students have successfully completed the training program. Of those completing the program, 85% have been placed in training related jobs. Placement rate based on enrollment is 80%. Two students have applied for further training to become LPNs and several have begun the climb up the C.N.A. career ladder and gained additional job responsibilities. A few students have gone on further and have graduated as RNs. During calendar year 2005, 42 students enrolled, 40 completed (95% completion rate). Of these 34 were placed at an average of $10.79 per hour.

Contact Information

Nancy Tariot
Community Action, Inc.
145 Essex Street
Haverhill, MA 01832
T: 978.373.1971
http://www.communityactioninc.org/
email: ntariot@communityactioninc.org