Background

"Hope for Healthcare' is the brainchild of Richmond businesswoman, Deborah Johnston, President of Care Advantage, a health care staffing agency. In response to the critical shortage of nursing professionals, she formed a partnership with Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) and the Downtown Richmond Branch of the YMCA to train residents of public housing for nursing careers. Hope for Healthcare is a vehicle through which residents of public housing who are transitioning from welfare to work, unemployed, or underemployed can embark upon the road to self-sufficiency and economic independence.

The timing of this program could not be better. In the Richmond Times-Dispatch, dated Monday, August 27, 2001, Dr. Joanne Kirk Henry, associate professor of nursing at Virginia Commonwealth University said, "nursing has had a cyclical shortage for most of the last century. The worrisome piece is this is the tip of the iceberg. We anticipate the biggest impact to start in 2008". At the national level, the article said, associations like the American Nurses Association and the Association of Nurse Executives are lobbying and planning strategies. Overseas recruiting is at a record high.

RRHA has a population of approximately 3,900 families of which 3,388 are headed by females with an average income of $8,248. The total number of these families whose major source of income is from work is only 1,153. Residents of public housing represent an enormous pool of potential healthcare workers to fill the void in our city. With Care Advantage taking the lead in fundraising, RRHA developed Hope for Healthcare.

The waiting list of residents to enroll in Hope for Health Care is seventy-two (72). The first class consisted of 13 residents who achieved a record 100% attendance and 100% graduation rate. The first class graduated August 23, 2001. Since August 2001, an additional 135 residents have graduated, with a 91% job retention rate. The graduation rate remains 100%. Seven (7) have enrolled in a LPN school, two (2) are scheduled to enroll this year. Three (3) have graduated from LPN school and another is scheduled for graduation April 24, 2003, from Richmond School of Health and Technology. Four residents who did not have their high school diploma or GED are enrolled in GED classes. A high school diploma or general education diploma has since been added to the requirements for enrollment.

Overview of Program

RRHA carefully screens and assists its applicants with meeting program requirements. Residents are first introduced to the program through a general information session. The session is held to educate residents about the CNA program, duties and responsibilities of a CNA, and careers in nursing. During this session, residents who have completed the program speak, a video is shown, and guest nurses share their expertise and talk about the demands and rewards of their work. The general session helps screen out residents who are not serious, simply looking for a job, or lack knowledge about what the duties and responsibilities of a CNA are.

The second step in the process is an orientation. During orientation, applicants bring proof of education, complete a criminal background check, tuberculosis test, and drug screening. Residents who do not pass the initial screening may remain on the waiting list while they complete the requirements. All residents have counselors who provide intensive case management services to address barriers to successful completion of the program and job retention. The counselors arrange transportation, childcare, and other supportive services sometimes involving outside agencies. They assist residents in developing career goals and reaching their goals.

The third and final step before beginning the class is a weeklong, professional development course. The professional development course includes, but is not limited to: accepting supervision; handling conflict on the job; getting along with coworkers and supervisors; time management; handling demands of a working parent; i.e., arranging dependable childcare and transportation. Also included are customer service; completing a job application and resume. Interviewing skills and mock interviews are videotaped and reviewed. Lastly, residents complete a basic computer literacy course aimed at making them more marketable in today's technology driven workplace. Monthly job retention coaching is an integral part of the program. Assistance with childcare and transportation are provided for these sessions.

Residents are further encouraged to participate in RRHA's Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) or the HOPE VI Self-Sufficiency Training Program (SSTP). Each of these programs prepares residents for special transitional housing and homeownership opportunities. They provide incentives for residents to work by escrowing rent or excluding the income from rent calculation for a period of time while the residents are working toward completing their career goals. The life of participation in these programs span 3-5 years allowing ample time for self-sufficiency to be achieved.

RRHA formed the Hope for Healthcare Alumni Association as a catalyst for leadership and ongoing personal and professional development of graduates. Residents have elected officers. Draft by-laws have been completed, and training in duties and responsibilities of officers has been provided. Sponsors and volunteers are invited to the association's meetings to provide valuable information on career opportunities, scholarships, networking, and most significantly to mentor the graduates. Mentors play an important role in helping graduates continue to set and achieve goals. Continued education seminars include, but are not limited to, budgeting and credit repair; time and money management; savings and investment, insurance, understanding withholding and job benefits, health and nutrition; parenting skills; handling conflict on the job; accepting supervision, and dressing for success. A family picnic as well as a summer retreat is being planned. The association is planning a community volunteer project, which will include checking on the elderly, teaching young parents to take temperature and vital signs, and other support services.

Through Hope for Healthcare, residents are gaining the education, training, and confidence to work with a wide variety of patients, from infants to the elderly, in a variety of settings from hospitals, private homes and homes for the elderly. Hope for Healthcare is building a foundation upon which graduates can pursue LPN (licensed practical nurse) and RN (registered nurse) degrees, more advanced degrees that offer great pay, excellent benefits, lasting careers, and economic independence. In other words, Hope for Healthcare is breaking the cycle of poverty for some public housing families.

What is Needed?

The partnership is looking for direct funding to cover cost of training and supportive services, i.e., instructor fees, uniforms, textbooks, exam fees, assistance with childcare and transportation, and continuing education scholarships for LPN and RN students.

The partnership is also looking for licensed nursing schools and facilities to sponsor classes, provide instructors or offer facilities for clinical supervision at a ratio of 1-10 as required by the Commonwealth of Virginia for certification.

Timeline

Each class is six weeks in duration. The program consists of a minimum 120-hours of classroom and clinical training. The duration of class is six weeks. A new class is scheduled to begin every eight weeks depending on the level of funding. The eight-week cycle provides several weeks of planning time between classes. Sponsors of the program recruit residents at a job fair scheduled prior to graduation. Residents are provided assistance with transportation to put in applications at a variety of facilities and hospitals.

How can I help - How can I support Hope for Healthcare?

Your contribution will provide scholarships for low-income residents of public housing who cannot afford the cost of training. You will also be assisting the community and the nation meet a critical need for health care professionals. As a health care agency or hospital, you are already invested in the health care industry and can appreciate firsthand the importance of an innovative, comprehensive program like Hope for Healthcare.

As a sponsor, you gain access to an elite pool of well-trained employees who are receiving case management services to assure their success on the job.

Graduates are asked to commit to a minimum of 90 days employment with sponsoring agencies. Further, they are educated on the importance of job stability so they can take advantage of benefits and opportunities for further training and education. We teach graduates that their future success depends on their job history. We discourage graduates from job-hopping and help them understand how this hinders rather than help their careers. In other words, our graduates understand the difference in a job and a career.

Lastly, your contributions are tax deductible. The Richmond Business and Employment Development Corporation (RBEDC), is the nonprofit arm of RRHA. RBEDC is a 501©(3), tax-exempt organization. Its purpose is to provide education, training, and employment services to residents. It also serves as an incubator corporation for small, independent, resident businesses.

The Tax Identification Number is 54-6001564. Your contribution should be made payable to RBEDC-Hope for Healthcare at the following address:

Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority
c/o RRHA University
210 Hospital Street
Richmond, Virginia 23220
804-780-4832

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