LOUISIANA HEALTH SERVICES TRAINING CORP

LOUISIANA HEALTH SERVICES TRAINING CORP Request for Application Open: June 1, 2007 Closing Date: June 30, 2007 Louisiana Public Health Institute on behalf of Project Partners HEALTH SERVICES RECOVERY COUNCIL

INTRODUCTION: Project Goal: To increase the skill level, employment opportunities and retention of frontline healthcare workforce within hurricane impacted parishes. Objectives: To provide workforce recruitment and retention technical assistance tailored to the needs of Katrina and Rita impacted parishes To provide financial support for direct and indirect cost of training of existing frontline workers in the devastated area and displaced residents willing to return To build upon new strategic partnerships created among educational and healthcare organizations To create a long term training program with ongoing support of program enrollees, retention, training and continued focus on sustainability A. Area the Program will Benefit: The project will give priority to parishes indicated as priority including; Cameron, Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, Saint Bernard and Saint Tammany Parishes. The priority parishes alone have a population of 896,533 and are comprised of rural and urban tracts across Louisiana s gulf coast. The project will be extended to remaining CDBG-eligible parishes (indicated in orange) dependent on overall demand for assistance in priority areas and fund availability. B. Specific Sector, Industry and Occupations: Specific Sector: Healthcare Industries: Provider partners include representatives from rural clinics, private clinics, federally qualified health centers, school-based clinics, state hospitals, veterans hospitals, private hospitals, a rural hospital, mental health organizations and emergency medical services. Occupations Targeted: The overall program will target frontline healthcare workforce categorized as healthcare employees earning less than $40,000 and positions requiring a bachelor s degree or below. Specific occupations targeted for training were identified through parish-needs assessments and research. Target occupations include emergency medical technicians, geriatric nurses, certified nursing assistants, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, licensed social workers, licensed practical nurses, substance abuse counselors and technicians (laboratory, psychiatric, radiology). According to the Louisiana Workforce Training Efforts to Rebuild Hurricane Disaster Areas, healthcare represents one-third of the total demand for needed workforce in Katrina devastated areas and nearly half of the workforce demand in Rita devastated areas 1. The proposed Frontline Healthcare Workforce Initiative is a concerted effort designed to increase skills-development for healthcare workforce that supports rebuilding and future growth of the economy in the devastated area. Frontline workforce, which represents half of the total healthcare workforce nationally, is collectively growing faster (32.6%) than the overall growth rate for healthcare occupations (28.3%) and significantly faster than the growth rate for all occupations (14.8%) 2. According to a recent report published through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, frontline healthcare workers are frequently overlooked and often do not have clear career ladders or mechanisms to enhance their occupational role 3. Frontline workers family incomes fall within lower-income brackets with three out of ten workers making less than $10.00 an hour and 28% living in family households falling below 200% of the federal poverty level. 4 1. 2. 3. 4. Louisiana Workforce Training Efforts to Rebuild Hurricane Disaster Areas: Forecast of Critical Occupations Requiring Two Years or Less Training in Six Industry Sectors for the Recovery Period 2006 to 2009. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational Employment Statistics, 2003. Workers Who Care: A Graphical Profile of the Frontline Health and Health Care Workforce, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2006. Frontline and Hourly Wage Workforce, US Chamber of Commerce Center for Workforce Preparation. 1

C. Needs of Employer Partners: Collective reports indicate that there are currently over 2,000 vacancies in Katrina and Rita devastated areas for just the top priority occupations identified and over 11,000 vacancies across frontline personnel as a whole. The frontline workforce targeted encompasses a wide range of services and settings which benefit the diverse alliance created. Occupations selected were found to be in need across geographic areas and facility type. Limited workforce was found to be a barrier across providers, and lower-level positions were identified by many organizations as the most challenging to fill. A key example is LSU-Health Sciences Center s recent report of resources available to open 150 beds in New Orleans; but personnel available to only open 85 beds. 5 This and similar barriers across entities not only have an immediate impact on the target population s access to healthcare, but are directly connected to recovery and rebuilding of area businesses dependent on healthcare services. Specific needs collected among partners, combined with research conducted, indicate the following minimum workforce needs for target occupations in Katrina and Rita parishes: Certified Nursing Assistants 112 Certificate # Needed Educational Skills/Training Needed Emergency Medical Technicians 128 Diploma, Certificate or Associates Degree (depending on facility) Geriatric Nurses 80 Diploma, Associate or Bachelor Degree Licensed Practical Nurses 936 1 year of Training at Vocational/Technical College Licensed Social Workers 32 Masters of Social Work Nurse Practitioners 20 Masters of Science in Nursing Registered Nurses 874 Diploma, Associate or Bachelor Degree Substance Abuse Counselors 42 Substance Abuse Counseling Certification Technicians Lab 64 Associates Degree Psych 40 Associates Degree Radiology 46 Associates Degree CORE PROJECT COMPONENTS: 1. Technical Assistance, Recruitment and Retention: Coordinated assistance will be provided by extending the scope of existing nonprofit recruitment and retention efforts available through the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health. The project will build upon the foundation and expand the scope of Bureau activities currently limited to physicians and the early implementation of programs for registered nurses. Project recruitment and retention staff will be added to the Bureau to expand and build upon the knowledge of existing medical placement staff, recruitment software and developed partnerships. Assistance to be provided through the Bureau will include organizational capacity building, job/training recruitment, placement and retention of healthcare frontline workforce. Recruitment strategies will coordinate project training opportunities with outside resources, such as housing initiatives and loan repayments. Employers who recruit individuals to fill vacant positions will be required to keep these positions open for those individuals so that they may progress in their chosen career upon graduation. It is also necessary for the employer to understand that in order for the individuals to participate in their chosen training classes they may need to be parttime employees. 5. Scaled Back Hospital Opens, Moran, Kate., Time Picayune, 17 Nov. 2006. 2

2. Financial Support for Employee Training: Upon notice of award, project and employer partners will distribute a Request for Application (RFA) to providers across all qualified parishes requesting additional and updated data. This will be done through the Department of Health and Hospitals database of healthcare organizations located in CDBG-eligible parishes. RFAs will be used to both identify placement opportunities and employees eligible for training. A subcontract will be made with healthcare organizations supporting recruitment, training and retention of employees. Organizational priority will be given to RFAs based on the following: Residents Receiving Support Priority A-Support of current residents within the devastated areas and recruitment and training of displaced residents willing to return to the area Priority B-Recruitment and training of potential employees willing to relocate to the devastated area Location of Organization Priority A: Healthcare organizations within project priority parishes Priority B: Healthcare organizations within other CDBG-eligible parishes 1. 2. 3. Agency must provide direct patient care in a CDBG affected Parish. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that all CDBG programs meet certain national objectives. This national objective is 51% of participants must be low to moderate-income individuals; therefore each grantee must target these individuals in their funding programs. Therefore agency employees that need training must meet the Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) standard for a 3 person head-of-household of $40,500.00. Each employer must verify this information by completing the Income Certification in Attachment A of the RFA. (See HUD Code of Federal Regulations 24 CFR 570.506 (g)(2)) for reference. Agency must see Medicaid, Medicare, and Uninsured patients and/or Uninsured patients with a sliding fee scale. Workforce Priority Areas Priority A: Support for identified priority needs including: licensed social workers, emergency medical technicians, certified nursing assistants, registered nurses, geriatric nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, substance abuse counselors and technicians (lab, psych, radiology) Priority B: Additional workforce needs with 2 years or less training B2. Expansion of Existing Training Program with a Waiting List for Admittance: Funding will also be used to support expansion of existing training programs through the Louisiana Community and Technical College System to decrease wait time for acceptance into priority programs. Needs identified through LCTCS relevant to the project include providing two instructors, supplies and equipment to extend existing training opportunities in the devastated area. Projected Outcomes Workforce recruitment and retention technical assistance created and administered through the DHH Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health Financial support for direct and indirect cost of training of existing frontline workers in the devastated area and displaced residents willing to return resulting in a minimum of 75 degrees/certificates earned New strategic partnerships created among educational and healthcare organizations through the project Creation of a long term training program with ongoing support of program enrollees, retention, training and continued focus on sustainability 3

Employee Eligibility: Educational assistance is available to employees who meet their organization s eligibility requirements. Maximum Employer Benefits: The maximum assistance to be provided to an eligible employer during a project year is $11,000.00 per employee. To be eligible for educational assistance, employers must meet all requirements outlined in this Request for Application (RFA). Administrative Responsibility: The Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI) will administer the employer assistance program. It will give final approval to all requests for educational assistance and reimbursement for related expenses, based upon employer eligibility and verification of successful completion of approved courses, program, or certifications. Time frame for the Project The project timeline will span contract approval through December 31, 2007. 4

HEALTH SERVICES TRAINING CORP EMPLOYER REQUEST FOR APPLICATION 1. (Company or Agency Name) hereby requests allied health care employee education assistance through the Louisiana Health Services Training Corp. 2. Company or Agency Contact Information: Primary Address: City: State: Zip: Phone Number: Fax: Email: Indicate the company or agency Point of Contact available to answer questions and/or notified of decisions regarding this application: 3. Does your company or agency provide direct patient care services in a CDBG affected parish? 4. Indicate the number of awards requested and total educational assistance amount requested:. (Note: Maximum award per employee per year is $11,000.00.) For each award indicate the funding amount for each budget category: Award 1: Tuition Costs:. Living Stipend:. (This amount may be used to cover travel costs, daycare costs and other ancillary costs associated with training courses.) Award 2: Tuition Costs:. Living Stipend:. (This amount may be used to cover travel costs, daycare costs and other ancillary costs associated with training courses.) For the educational assistance awards please indicate which training institution you will use: 1

If the training will be conducted In-House please provide a certificate showing accreditation by a Louisiana or National Agency. If you have more than two awards please attach the additional information on the back. 5. Indicate which priority areas your company or agency can use for eligibility: (If you indicate an area of priority please explain or list areas by which your company or agency can show support indicators). A. Priority Areas Priority 1: Company or agency must have employee needs or advancement potential for the following areas: (Indicate the number of positions needed or available for advancement) Certified Nursing Assistants Emergency Medical Technicians Geriatric Nurses Licensed Practical Nurses Licensed Social Workers Nurse Practitioners Registered Nurses Substance Abuse Counselors Technicians Lab Psych Radiology # Needed Educational Skills/Training Needed Certificate Diploma, Certificate or Associates Degree (depending on facility) Please circle the degree program(s) your facility requires Diploma, Associates or Bachelor Degree 1 year of Training at Vocational/Technical College Masters of Social Work Masters of Science in Nursing Diploma, Associates or Bachelor Degree Substance Abuse Counseling Certification Associates Degree Associates Degree Associates Degree Priority 2: Agency employees that need training must meet the Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) standard for a 3 person head-of-household of $40,500.00. Each employer must verify this information by completing an Income Certification form. Do the employees that need training meet the LMI standard? If you indicated yes please download an Income Certification form at http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/cdbg/dr/ed/lmiform2007.xls, complete and attach to the RFA. Priority 3: Please indicate the percentage of patients your company or agency treats for the following categories: Medicaid Medicare Uninsured Sliding-Fee Scale 2

Priority 4: Additional workforce needs with 2 years or less training: If your organization is requesting assistance for training of staff in a position that is not targeted, please list a) the position title, b) the number of trainings needed c) the associated degree or certificate for each and d) associated total months of training needed in the chart below. Position # Needed Education/Training Needed Estimated Months Needed to Earn Degree or Certificate Note: Funds received are limited to two or less years of training 6. Additional Support: The Louisiana Health Services Training Corp supports a frontline health care recruiter to assist employers for lower-level and Allied Health staff positions. Would your company or agency need or utilize the assistance of a Workforce Recruiter? If yes, indicate the level of need: Mail The Completed Application to: Lee Smith, MPA Louisiana Public Health Institute 628 N. 4th Street Baton Rouge, LA. 70802 For questions call: Lee Smith, MPA (225) 342-0887 Project Partners HEALTH SERVICES RECOVERY COUNCIL 3