Monday, 2 August 2010
California Residents Receive Free Health Care Training
The Youth Policy Institute in Los Angeles recently started a program which aims to train low-income and unemployed persons as medical assistants, pharmacy technicians and certified nursing assistants. According to The Los Angeles Times, the program has 400 people already enrolled with openings for an additional 1,200. The program is rapidly growing in the area with the hope of creating some much needed health care jobs.
Unemployment in the Los Angeles area is currently at 12.3 percent and the program seeks to alleviate many from the stresses of unemployment as well as offer a solution to the shortage of health care workers. The area is especially hurting from a lack of nurses and nurse assistants.
The program seeks to train the students efficiently and quickly, to get them into medical-related jobs as soon as possible. Case managers are working to decrease any barriers that will stand in the California residents way of getting their free training.
Residents who participate in the program will take classes, free of charge, at Los Angeles Valley College and participate in paid internships at designated medical facilities after training. The program is sponsored by the federal stimulus package costing $3.6 million) and state and local grants are providing $2.4 million.
The program is offering many different types of help, just as an incentive to get residents into classes. Case managers are equipped to help students with issues such as housing, child care and transportation, to name a few. Costs of books as well as items such as uniforms and other training materials will also be covered at no cost to the student.
