Resource Library

State TANF and MOE Annual Reports

Inspiration comes in many forms. For Kelli, it came from her three young children.

A single mother, living on a reservation, Kelli worked hard to keep up with her own children during the fast-paced digital age, but she had very little opportunity for education or job training.

This put strain on her ability to be a stable role model and provider for her family. She longed for a fulfilling career that provided job security and the opportunity to have dinner with her children without rushing off to the next job.

The Yankton Sioux Tribe’s Master Health Director introduced Kelli to the HPOG Pathways to Healthcare Professions (PHP)  program. After reaching out by phone and discussing her situation and long-term goals, she decided to apply for Certified Professional Coder (CPC) courses.

Sometimes the child becomes the parent.

Uriah Keith’s mother was only 15 years old when he was born. His childhood in Anchorage Alaska lacked stability and structure due to his mother’s battle with alcohol addiction. Eventually, Uriah and his sister were removed from her custody, and he had to grow up very fast.

Not wanting to follow in his mother’s footsteps, Uriah enrolled in the Alaska Military Youth Academy (AMYA), hoping to find a disciplined and well-structured environment. Shortly after graduating from the AMYA, he and his young girlfriend learned they were expecting a child of their own. He joined the Alaska Army National Guard to provide for his growing family. Soon after joining, he broke his ankle during a routine training exercise. His doctor prescribed OxyContin for the pain, starting him on a path to drug abuse.

After his drug use came to light, he lost his position in the National Guard. He spent time as a commercial fisherman, which allowed him to maintain his drug habit and support his son. After an eye-opening moment, Uriah realized he had to choose between his addiction and his family. His son won. He soon found himself at The Salvation Army Alaska Adult Rehabilitation program. His Recovery Counselor, CB, was a former addict who gave Uriah hope. After a relapse, he turned to Cook Inlet Tribal Council’s Ernie Turner Center for recovery assistance, where he met the team at Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC) HPOG.

Mohammed came to the United States at only 12 years old. His parents immigrated to America with the hope of providing a better life for their family. Poverty was a broad challenge in their native India. Even as a child he knew he had bigger dreams than the hurdles he would encounter in his life.

The melting pot of Houston, Texas came as a culture shock to Mohammed and his family. It took him two full years to overcome the language barrier. Even though he had problems communicating with his peers due to his strong accent, Mohammed enjoyed reading and language arts, but his favorite subjects were math and science. He was fascinated with the human body and its interworking.

Frustrations arose after graduation from high school. Mohammed worried about how he would provide for his family while furthering his education. He made a personal sacrifice, and chose caring for his loved ones over going to school. Fortunately, just as he was thinking of giving up, an HPOG coach from Volunteers of America Texas changed his path. He was working at unsatisfying, minimum wage jobs for the first few years out of high school. He knew he wanted more but needed to work full time to cover the cost of school and take care of his household. The HPOG coach told him the integrated service model could provide the resources and support he needed. The hope of acceptance turned into overwhelming joy for Mohammed and his parents when he was selected to be a part of the HPOG program.

Sophia’s story is familiar yet still isolating.

Financial struggles forced her into a vicious cycle of living paycheck to paycheck with a bleak future. She described her situation as slipping into survival mode.

“I wasn’t living. I was in survival mode. I was focused on working a low-paying job to just barely make rent each month and then doing it all over again the next month. It’s a very hard cycle to break, it’s like running in place as fast as you can but going nowhere. In the end, I was just tired and worn out, but I kept doing it every day because I had no choice.”

After learning about the Zepf Center’s HPOG program, Northwest Ohio Pathway to Healthcare Careers (NOPHC) , from OhioMeansJobs Lucas County Center, Sophia realized she did have choices. Selflessly, she initially called looking for employment information for a family member, but instead, her own life took a turn. By March 2016, she had completed an HPOG Interest Survey and was randomly assigned into the Treatment group, which she was not expecting. She celebrated with a “happy dance” once she was given a small glimpse of what her future could hold.

Abbie was completing the courses needed to apply to the Radiologic Technician program at Schenectady while working grueling hours for little pay. She got into the Radiological Technician program based on her strong academic performance, but then had to choose between furthering her education or caring for her young son. If she stayed in school, she would have to cut her hours as Direct Support Coordinator at a local healthcare facility. The weight of this decision almost threw her off her path.

The HPOG program, Upstate Partnership for Healthcare Pathways (UPHP) , stepped in to change her life forever. “I suddenly felt relieved. If HPOG could take away some of the financial burdens, that meant it was possible after all.”

When Claudette was a child, she was caught in a fire and was treated for burns covering over 60% of her body. The treatment she received left her inspired to pursue a career in the healthcare field.

Years later, Claudette, now a single mother of seven, was attending her daughter’s childcare intake appointment at Action for a Better Community, when she saw a presentation delivered by an HPOG navigator. She realized that her long-held dream could become reality.

In June 2016, she was accepted into the Rochester Health Professions Opportunity Grants (ROC-HPOG) , and Claudette met with her appointed navigator to develop an education and career plan. Claudette decided to enroll into the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) training after taking (and passing) the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) exam.

A new start is never easy, but for Tony, it was worth it.

Tony was living in Alaska, working as a Patient Care Technician at a regional hospital after serving four years in the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. At this time, his life at home became stressful.

His teenage son developed a chemical dependency and became homeless. Soon after, his wife divorced him. Feeling powerless, he moved to Washington State to be closer to his father.

Tony hoped his move would be a fresh start, but he dealt with blow after blow. His military training was not accredited for licensure as a healthcare professional in the State of Washington. He felt locked out of healthcare and took a job at a gypsum recycling plant that was 60 miles away. That winter he was injured on the job, and his father’s health quickly declined. On a snowy day, his truck went into a spin and crashed into a guardrail. With no transportation, he had to quit his job. After two months of unemployment, Tony walked into the local WorkSource office for help with his résumé. He had no intention of going back to school, but he walked out of the office excited about the Creating Access To Careers in Healthcare (CATCH) program.

A crash course in academic preparation helps students at Pima Community College develop Personal Learning Networks that provide sustainable program support both on and off campus.

With funding provided by the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) program, Pima Community College’s HPOG HOPES Academy helps students transition into training, creating a bridge that results in a smoother process and increased success.

Every traveler needs a good navigator.

Those on the healthcare career path are no different. Antonia’s HPOG success story is about what happens when you find the right navigator on the road to success.

Antonia was a single mom in eastern Connecticut struggling to support her young daughter and herself. Her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certificate and license were not enough to help her secure the full-time employment she needed. Antonia sought help from a local job center and was directed to a Health Careers Advancement Project’s (HCAP) orientation workshop where she learned about HPOG. At this workshop she met Rachael Martel, the Regional HPOG Navigator who would help her set a new career course. With Rachael’s encouragement, Antonia scheduled a follow-up appointment to discuss her goals, barriers, and how HPOG might be able to help.