Health care professionals are in high demand in the Spokane region, and Community Colleges of Spokane (CCS) is the leader in providing high-quality, affordable education in nearly 40 in-demand health care fields.
Both Spokane Falls and Spokane Community College recently received state grants aimed at increasing access to health care training for working adults.
“If you go into any area hospital, medical office or clinic, at least one of the professionals who helps you will be a graduate of our local community college programs,” said Christine Johnson, chancellor of Community Colleges of Spokane. “We provide the most comprehensive health care education in the region.”
The recent award of a Hospital Employee Education and Training (HEET) grant will provide $105,655 to recruit and support students in the Spokane Community College Surgical Technology program and to support pre-health care students as they attend SCC programs.
Graduates from SCC’s Surgical Technology program are in high demand and this year, and 100 percent of the SCC graduates in this program passed their national licensing exam – far exceeding the national average of just 70 percent passing. This grant is given in partnership with Multi-Care, Providence and the Service Employees International Union Training Fund
Spokane Falls Community College received a $200,000 grant from HEET to provide special fast-track chemical dependency training for licensed mental health and social work professionals. This 15-credit program is offered by SFCC and Whatcom Community College in partnership to meet a huge demand in Washington State for people with certification in treating chemical dependency.
Certification that the student has completed the 15-credit Alternative Training Program fast-tracks the Washington State Department of Health’s procedure to determine whether the CDP applicant has fulfilled all educational requirements to become a Chemical Dependency professional.
This online training enables health professionals to become dually-licensed in their field, thereby equipping these clinicians to provide client-centered integrated behavioral health treatment as required by law.
The HEET grant program was created by Washington state legislation passed on April 1, 2008. It provides funds for “competitive grants to labor, management, and college partnerships to develop or expand and evaluate innovative training programs for incumbent hospital workers that lead to careers in nursing and other high-demand health care fields.” The Washington State Hospital Association and SEIU Healthcare 1199NW proposed and lobbied for this funding. The grant program is administered by the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC).
SCC received its first HEET grant in 2008 and has used these funds to assist 109 health care students graduate since the program began 10 years ago. SFCC received its first HEET grant in 2016 and has assisted 31 graduates since then.
Find out more about the SCC Surgical Technology Program here
Find out more about the SFCC Addiction Studies Program here