Initiative - CA-HWI

A Publication of theCalifornia Community CollegesEconomic & Workforce Development47WithWine CountryRegionalSimulationCenter ................ 2RHORC CenterUpdates............... 3NCLEX ReviewCourse inLos Angeles ........ 4List of RHORCCenters ............... 4theInitiativeThe demand for health care interpreters continues togrow with shifting demographics and new regulationsrequiring health care organizations to provide culturallyand linguistically appropriate services. Well-trained interpreterscan prevent the risky practice of using unskilledfamily members, random staff members or volunteers tocommunicate sensitive health information, such as acancer or HIV diagnosis.The RHORCs are supporting programs at City Collegeof San Francisco, Santa Barbara City College and Mt. SanAntonio College which offer distinct health care interpretingprograms to train bilingual and bicultural individuals tofacilitate communication between health care providersand persons with limited English proficiency (LEP).RHORCs facilitate partnerships with community healthorganizations, hospitals and clinics to offer interpretingstudents fieldwork and employment opportunities.For instance, in Santa Barbara, RHORC has facilitateda salary differential at Sansum Clinic for those whocomplete the training.Regional HealthOccupationsResource CentersHealth Care Interpreting ProgramsHealth care interpreting at SBCC is a continuingeducation program that since the fall of 2005, has trained148 people. Renée Robinson, Director of Continuing Educationsaid the 40-hour program is mostly for dual-roleinterpreters, the people who are already being called uponto interpret in a health care setting.“Our feeling was that 40 hours was not enough, sowe’re planning to modify our curriculum and develop acredit-based program. We’re exploring the possibility ofsomething similar to the CCSF certificate program, includinga possible distance learning component in cooperationwith CCSF,” Robinson said.Continued on inside.“Well-trainedinterpreters...communicatesensitive healthinformation,such as a canceror HIV diagnosis.”

San Diego/Imperial RHORCRobert Yarris, DirectorIn 2006 Grossmont Collegereceived a Quick Start SB 70 twoyear grant to establish a Regional AlliedHealth and Science Initiative (RAHSI).RHORC 10 is taking the lead to create aRegional Healthcare Education Ad-HocAdvisory Board. The first meeting was wellattended with objectives being identifiedto: Support existing and potential schoolpathway programs; Maximize fundingpotential; Provide networking opportunitiesfor both schools and industry decisionmakers;Expand career exploration activitiesand programs and Discuss local industryrecognition of health pathway graduates.Since the grant was awarded mosthigh schools throughout San Diego Countyare creating health career pathwayprograms which engage students in arigorous and relevant sequence of coursesand support their transition into collegeprograms that address healthcareworkforce needs. The core of the project isto focus on: Redesigning high schoolcurricula to incorporate healthcareapplications; Career exploration activities;State biology and healthcare standardsand Industry skills.Other active projects in play are:curriculum design for a MLT program; athird Health Exploration Summer Institute(HESI) for summer 2007; an April Workshopfor Teaching Critical Thinking and ConceptCare Mapping; curriculum development foran accelerated Dental Hygienist programfor international trained dentists andproject planning and grant applicationsfor the establishment of a San Diego Centerfor Collaborative Healthcare Planning.Los Angeles County RHORCJesus Oliva, DirectorThe LA RHORC held is 2ndDSD Meeting for 22 attendeesfrom the Long Term Care Industry. Guestpresenter Ken Merchant discussedLegislative Updates with a focus on HealthCare Training and reimbursement fromMedi-Cal. An NCLEX review course withCollege of the Desert has been establishedto meet the requirements for the FosteringStudent Success grant. Expected roll-outof the review is scheduled for May 2007.The Health Care Interpreting grant fundedby The California Endowment is completed.Dissemination of the revised curriculumand lab coach materials will be presentedat the next RHORC Directors’ meeting andcopies of the curriculum materials will bemade available through the HealthInitiative.Orange/Inland Empire RHORCMary O’Connor, DirectorThe focus for the RHORCRegion 8 this year is facultydevelopment. Several programs werepresented including: A Framework forUnderstanding Poverty, Using SimulationTechnology as a Teaching Strategy, andCreative Teaching Strategies for HealthOccupations Educators. The 11th AnnualHealth Occupations Educator Institute onApril 23-25, 2007 in Santa Ana has over80 participants registered. Two PreceptorInstructor courses (train-the-trainer)were completed with a total of 35participants. Another course is scheduledin June 2007 for the Inland Empire. CriticalCare Nursing and Telemetry coursescontinue with 122 completing in theSummer/Fall programs and 50 in progressin the Winter/Spring program. Mostparticipants are new graduate nurses from15 different hospitals.RHORC 8 has held Advisory meetingsfor both Orange County (OC) and the InlandEmpire (IE) in September 2006 and January2007 with a total of 22 OC industrypartners, 30 OC education partners,18 IEindustry partners and 24 IE educationpartners in attendance. The RHORC iscurrently collaborating with the DesertRegional Consortium on the Allied HealthTech Prep grant from CDE to facilitate anddirect the implementation of a coordinatedregional work plan designed to provide aforum for regional collaboration andalignment of education and training effortsin the Inland Empire. RHORC 8 will also besubmitting a grant proposal to the CCChancellor’s Office for the Online Clinicalplacement system.The Medical Assistant curriculumrevision project is in progress with writingteam members representing four differentregions of the state. The self-study ECGInterpretation CD is scheduled forcompletion June2007.South Coast RHORCMarsha Roberson, DirectorThe Governor’s WIA granthas enabled an additional 80nursing students to be enrolled this year.Though 40 preceptors have been trained,a continuing goal is to assure incentivesare in place so that staff will be moreinterested in serving as preceptors; theoutcome is better staff retention and newrecruitment. Retention Specialists/CaseManagers are being employed at partneringcolleges, which has proven to be an effectivestrategy at Cuesta College. The NCLEXComprehensive Review, which targets theneeds of internationally-educated nurses,is being offered.Needs Assessments: To substantiateneeds for training programs, a variety ofsurveys were conducted for the region.Analysis of survey data for a TherapeuticMassage Technician Educational Programat Moorpark College demonstrated thatthere is a need for a comprehensive programwhich includes medical massage.Pharmacists confirmed the need and supportfor reactivating the Pharmacy TechnicianA.S. program at Allan Hancock College.Additionally, a needs assessment is beingconducted for an Addictive Studies Programat Cuesta College. The RHORC is beginningto explore the need for BSN education at acommunity college in the South Coast.South Bay Region RHORCMatthew Grayson, DirectorCommunity College andHigh School Career Counselorsworking in the Bay Area attended a workshopat Mission College on March 1, 2007to learn about “Linking Students with HotJobs in Health”. Nursing, Physical Therapy,and Respiratory Therapist professionalsfrom Kaiser Permanente each hosted ademonstration table for counselors to experiencecommon on-the-job duties performedby each profession. Participantswere divided into three groups and a“round-robin” to each station for moreinteractive participation. One participantstated “I especially enjoyed the hands-onmove around the room format.” The interactiveportion was followed by a lectureoverview of other high-demand, high-wagejobs in health.South Bay RHORC and Evergreen ValleyCollege hosted a workshop with RegionalOccupation Centers, Adult Education, andCommunity College administrators in healthto explore allied health expansion opportunities.The potential impact of AB 2448(Hancock) to our ROCP partners promptedthis event to be hosted. The Hancock billwill require ROCP to reduce adult enrollmentby over 100,000 students within three years,and focus their programs on 16-18 yearolds. A report developed by South BayRHORC compared annual community collegegraduation rates (DataMart) to jobopenings (LMI) in all health and healthrelated jobs. The participants added valuableinformation about students and jobmarkets to complement the data. Notesand data may be obtained from the SouthBay RHORC.Interior Bay RHORCJaney Skinner, DirectorKaiser Permanente wasawarded a national award forinnovation by America's Health InsurancePlans for the Healthcare Interpreter Programoffered in partnership with Kaiser at CityCollege of San Francisco, which RHORCsupports through fund development andevaluation. We also recently completedtwo needs assessments studies on thecommunity/public health workforce. RHORCco-convened a “career day” to marketcareer advancement training to over100 Laguna Honda Hospital employees.RHORC is participating in an East Bay“immigrant nurse re-entry project” as wellas an “allied health career pathways”project in Livermore.Central RHORCValerie Fisher, DirectorPlease extend a warmwelcome to Valerie Fisher, RN,MA. Valerie became the new RHORC Directorfor Region 5 early in the spring of 2007.She will be based at Hartnell College inSalinas. Valerie brings a unique mix ofskills to the position with her years as aregistered nurse, grant manager and facilitatorof multi-agency community collaboratives.With a focus in health occupations/education,Valerie has successfullymanaged several programs that targetedthe most in need by empowering them withthe skills and knowledge necessary to competein today’s job market. These exceptionalcombinations of skills make her the idealcandidate for RHORC Director at the CentralCalifornia RHORC.North/Far North RHORCLinda Zorn, DirectorThe Butte College RHORCsponsored a Fred Lee workshop,“If Disney Ran Your HospitalSome Things You Would Do Differently.”Over 250 health care professionals fromacross northern California attended theworkshop. Following Fred Lee, two localhospital educators shared experiences onhow their organizations implementedcustomer service initiatives. Butte CollegeRHORC sponsored a regional RadiologicalTechnologist planning workshop todetermine the needs for RadiologicalTechnologists in the region and how thecommunity colleges in the region can bestrespond to the need.A Career Pathway Development Daywas sponsored by the RHORC in collaborationwith the local Tech Prep Consortium.Over 150 juniors and seniors from the localhigh schools toured the allied health programsat Butte College. Two environmentalscans have been completed for the region:Medical Laboratory Technician and DiagnosticMedical Sonographer.