Grant supports COM health care work program

College of Marin Career Education has been selected as a Caring4Cal Health Workforce Fund grantee to provide training for current and future licensed or certified in-home care providers in California.

The Caring4Cal program, a $25 million initiative, is expanding, enhancing and strengthening the state’s Home and CommunityBased Services workforce. To date, the program has awarded $720,000 in incentives to more than 3,500 learners to enhance their knowledge and expand this segment of the health workforce. The program works to increase access to health services for all Californians through free health care training, free personal coaching and paid incentives for care providers in an effort to expand, enhance and strengthen the Home- and Community-Based Services provider workforce across California.

College of Marin’s certified nurse assistant and home health aide curriculum is an Educationto-Career modeled initiative. The Education-to-Career model is defined by partnerships including community-based organizations to recruit and support students through their training, College of Marin to provide curriculum, instruction and overarching programmatic coordination, and industry partnerships to secure employment opportunities for students successfully completing the program. Canal Alliance, College of Marin and By the Bay Health collaborated in creating this program.

Certified nurse assistants and home health aides provide long-term care to the elderly and disabled in skilled nursing facilities and home settings. Both positions provide direct support to nurses and patients in skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, clinics and hospitals.