STCC’s Home Health Aide program: A pathway to opportunities
The second graduating class of Home Health Aides at STCC
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – While she’s already working in the healthcare field, Darlene Cote, of Westfield, came to Springfield Technical Community College this spring to sharpen her skills and expand her career options. After completing 10 weeks of customized training at STCC, Cote left with a Home Health Aide certificate and a special gift – a stethoscope.
The personal care attendant was one of 14 students in the second graduating class of Home Health Aides. The program was funded by a $58,548 Massachusetts Department of Higher Education “Rapid Response Grant,” which provided professional development to improve skills and increase marketability of employees. Fifteen students graduated from the first class held earlier this year. All trainees successfully passed exams and obtained certification, said Sharon A. Grundel, healthcare workforce coordinator at STCC.
The state awarded the grant to the Training & Workforce Options (TWO) program – a collaboration between STCC and Holyoke Community College that provides affordable workforce training for area businesses. The Rapid Response program allows the state to adapt quickly to a request from an employer that may be expanding or considering moving into Massachusetts, said Keith Connors, program manager with the state Department of Higher Education. Connors was on hand at the graduation to offer the stethoscopes as gifts.
“The training was excellent,” said Cote, an employee of O’Connell Care at Home.
Grundel said the noncredit program enhanced important skills for employees working in the field, including care for patients with chronic diseases, course work on vital signs and healthcare professionalism.
The students also obtained first aid certification through the American Heart Association and certification in CPR and basic life support (BLS), Grundel said.
Citing a highlight of the program, Cote mentioned her experience training at the college’s nationally renowned patient simulation facility. “The SIMS Medical Center at STCC is incredible,” she said.
The entire STCC experience, she said, was rewarding. “The instructors were tough and pushed us all out of our comfort zones,” Cote said. “I’m sorry the training is over. I hope to continue my education and pursue a degree.”
The class consisted of employees who work for grant employer partners O’Connell Health Care at Home and Porchlight VNA/Home Care. The grant covered the cost for the instructor, development of the curriculum and the use of the SIMS lab, Grundel said. Employers paid the participants for their time in the class, she added.
Bernadette Duncan, a nurse case manager at Porchlight VNA/Home Care, said the home health care field is “booming.”
“We need more home health aides in the field,” she said. “Through this partnership, we all worked together to meet the needs of our community.”
Joseph Willis, director of compliance and education for O’Connell Care at Home, praised the TWO program for providing affordable workforce training.
“The grant and our partnership with STCC and HCC provides skills training so our employees can take the best care of our elders,” Willis said. “It’s also encouraged our employees to think long term about the career opportunities available to them in the home healthcare field.”
About Springfield Technical Community College
Founded in 1967 and located on 35-acres of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, STCC is a major resource for the economic vitality of western Massachusetts. As the only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC, an Achieving the Dream Leader College, offers a variety of career programs unequalled in the state. STCC’s highly regarded transfer programs in business, engineering, liberal arts, science and technology continue to provide the most economical option for students pursuing a four-year degree. With an annual enrollment of over 8,700 day, evening, weekend, and online students, STCC is a vibrant campus rich in diversity.
Media Contact: Jim Danko, Coordinator of Media Relations, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu