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The Southern Oregon Health Occupations Poverty Elimination project (SOHOPE) at Rogue Community College (RCC) opens the door to careers in healthcare for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and low-income individuals in rural Oregon. The program’s success is evident in the large number of SOHOPE students fulfilling course hours needed for medical assistant (CMA) and phlebotomy certifications. RCC created a way to connect employers with these job-ready students.

Leigha grew up in La Marque, Texas in a low-income home. Her mother worked at different healthcare facilities as a certified nurse aide (CNA) with long night shifts. Despite her mother’s efforts, it never seemed to be enough to keep their family stable.

Her mother’s healthcare career exposed Leigha to the field at an early age. Leigha loved the thought of helping others. Her mother exemplified a deep gratitude for her work and compassion despite the challenges of the job. Leigha admired her mother for persevering through her struggles and desired a career that would help people overcome adversity.

Amber was a young mother struggling to raise her two children when she walked into the Danielson American Job Center in east Connecticut. While working with an Employment Advocate (EA), she mentioned an interest in a career in healthcare. Her EA directed her to Health Careers Advancement Project (Health CAP) , an HPOG program facilitated by Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board, Inc. Health CAP provides opportunities for TANF recipients and other low-income individuals to obtain occupational training in many healthcare tracks. Amber spoke to an HPOG navigator about how to enter the Health CAP program.

Health Professions Opportunity Grants Buffalo at the Buffalo and Erie County Workforce Development Consortium prepares individuals for employment in healthcare jobs offering advancement opportunities along a career ladder. Over the five years of the grant, HPOG Buffalo lost contact with many participants after they completed a healthcare training. Staff phone calls and emails to reach out to past participants went unanswered. HPOG Buffalo was ready to try something new.

Naomi found herself pregnant during her senior year of high school. Despite her pregnancy, she graduated at the top of her class, with a 3.7 GPA. Naomi started researching her options and went to an information session for certified nursing assistant (CNA) training at Louisiana Delta Community College. She knew she would need financial assistance, and at the session learned of the Northeast Louisiana Professional Healthcare Opportunities— Careers and Support Project (PHOCAS) program . Naomi applied and was selected for PHOCAS. She started CNA training at Louisiana Delta Community College in May 2016. "PHOCAS helped with everything; tuition, books, and even a gas card for me to travel back and forth. It was amazing and relieved so much stress."

The Northwest Ohio Pathway to Healthcare Careers (NOPHC) Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) program at Zepf Center focuses on helping low-income individuals obtain the education and training needed to pursue a job in the healthcare field. This project also builds upon the community Bridges out of Poverty initiative, which focuses on empowering people to progress out of poverty.

This new infographic visually depicts the completions and employment findings from 18 months to two years after enrollment in the HPOG program as outlined in the Descriptive Implementation and Outcome Study Report National Implementation Evaluation of the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) to Serve TANF Recipients and Other Low-Income Individuals recently released by OPRE.

Orisha Ali’s New York City life left her feeling like she was swimming upstream. Fortunately, she found her own conduit to success — a pipeline to her personal goals — through The Pipeline Program , funded by the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Program.

Our latest infographic features labor market information from the Occupational Employment Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and key findings from the Final Report:  National Implementation Evaluation of the First Round Health Profession Opportunity Grants.  It highlights how HPOG programs are meeting labor market needs and employer demands, as well as moving participants up a career pathway.

Amy became a part of a healthcare cohort, consisting of individuals receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) through Work Source Rogue Valley. It was through this community partnership that Amy learned of the HPOG-funded South Oregon HOPE (SOHOPE) program. She became one of the first SOHOPE participants to be randomly accepted into the HPOG program in March of 2016. SOHOPE staff was supportive and encouraging through any roadblocks she encountered during her training.