Building Pathways to a Brighter Future
Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc. (CITC)
CITC Health Professions Opportunity Program (HPOG)
Location: Anchorage, AK
OTHER GRANT INFORMATION
Six-Year Project Period: September 30, 2015 - September 29, 2021*
Annual Award Amount: $1,580,284
Type of Organization: Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization
Service Area: The Cook Inlet region of southcentral Alaska with a service area spanning from Anchorage to the Matanuska Valley (Eagle River, Palmer, and Wasilla)
Target Population: Alaska Native and American Indian Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients and low-income individuals
FIVE-YEAR QUANTIFIABLE PROJECTIONS
Number of individuals that will be enrolled in the overall HPOG program: 596
Number of TANF recipients that will be enrolled: 75
Number of individual participants that will begin basic skills education: 150
Number of individual participants that will complete basic skills education: 75
Number of participants that will begin any healthcare occupational training: 596
Number of participants that will complete any healthcare occupational training: 398
Number of individual participants that will obtain employment in a healthcare occupation: 327
ABSTRACT
CITC has operated a successful tribal HPOG project serving tribal TANF and low-income people in Anchorage since 2011. The CITC HPOG project offers supportive services, including case management, bus passes/gas cards, clothing assistance for training or employment dress, emergency rental assistance, and incentives for achieving program milestones and completing the program, obtaining licensure/certification, and participating in and completing GED/ABE.
The project also facilitates mentoring experiences. Participants receive credentialed training from a State of Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development training provider (Caregiver Training Academy, Chugiak/Eagle River Senior Center) in at least one of two nursing certification levels or other credentialed trainings, followed by mentoring and job placement assistance (via CITC’s Employment and Training Services Department, Alaska’s People Career Center). Occupations participants are trained for include Personal Care Assistant; Certified Nursing Assistant, Registered Nurse, Associate of Applied Science in Nursing; Medical Office Assistant; Medical Assistant; Pharmacy Technician; Phlebotomist; Dental Assistant; Medical Coding and Biller; and Substance Abuse Counselor (Technician and CDC1). HPOG is approved to support Emergency Trauma and EMTs as well. CITC is the operator of the tribal TANF program in partnership with the state. CITC receives direct referrals from the TANF program and provides joint case management/support services. CITC partners with the State of Alaska Department of Labor Job Center under the Alaska Workforce Investment Board. HPOG funds the HPOG PATH Academy, which is co-administered by its contracted partner, the Southcentral Area Health Education Center (SCAHEC). SCAHEC adapted its pre-apprenticeship curriculums to meet the needs of HPOG students.
*This second round of grant awards has been extended an additional 12 months, ending September 29, 2021.