WATCH Cohort Meetings Provide On-Going Support

Report of the Work Attributes Toward

Careers in Health Project WATCH

WATCH Toll-Free Number

1 (855) 292-8246

A Message from Program Manager Katherine Vastine

Dear Partners: Looking back on the first year of the WATCH project, I am amazed at the many relation-ships we've established with educational and training pro-viders, social service pro-grams, and healthcare em-ployers in central Pennsylva-nia. Your willingness to col-laborate and support the mis-sion of WATCH has allowed us to address the needs of over 129 individuals seeking family-sustaining careers in healthcare. In this newsletter, we would like to share the progress we have made to date and the accomplish-ments of our clients. We look forward to another successful year working with all of you to meet our core mission.

Funded by a Health Professions Opportunity

Grant from the Administration for Children and

Families, U.S. Department of Health and Hu-

man Services, the Work Attributes Toward Ca-

reers in Health (WATCH) project provides com-

prehensive academic, social service, and finan-

cial support to income-eligible individuals enter-

ing the nursing profession.

But we do not do it alone. With the help of our

educational, employer, and social service pro-

gram partners across the nine counties, we are

able to enhance our services and levels of sup-

port to help our clients succeed in the

healthcare industry.

WATCH staff began working with clients in Jan-

uary 2011. By the end of Program Year 1

(September 2011), WATCH had received 705

referrals. Five Career Coordinators, located in

four regional offices, provided case manage-

ment services to 129 clients.

During Program Year 1, WATCH staff members

remained active on the health advisory boards

of two area secondary vocational schools — the

Community and Rural Health Awareness Task

Force, and the Columbia County Human Ser-

vice Coalition.

In December 2011, two additional Career

Coordinators joined the WATCH staff to provide

case management services to clients in

Lycoming, Clinton, Upper Northumberland, and

Tioga counties.

WATCH project staff is now working with the

Northcentral Pennsylvania Area Health Educa-

tion Center (AHEC) and the PA Department of

Labor and Industry to develop a CNA Regis-

tered Apprencticeship. Northcentral PA AHEC

serves all nine counties of the original WATCH

service area and Tioga county.

In response to our work with Northcentral PA

AHEC, WATCH is expanding its outreach to

Tioga County. Partnering with the Northern Tier

Workforce Investment Board in December

2011, WATCH Career Coordinators will offer

the same supports to income-eligible individuals

entering the nursing profession in this Northern

Tier county.

WATCH Project Report

December

2011

WATCH Project Report December 2011

Project Update

Work Attributes Toward Careers in Health (WATCH) is a project of the Central

Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16 and is supported by a grant from the

Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services (HHS).

WATCH Core Mission

The Work Attributes

Toward Careers in Health (WATCH) project assists low-income residents of ten central Pennsylvania

counties to become Registered Nurses,

Licensed Practical Nurses, or Certified Nurse’s Aides by providing comprehen-sive academic and social

services support while receiving nursing

instruction in one of several partnering

educational programs.

Project WATCH PO Box 213 Lewisburg, PA 17837

This document was supported by Grant #90FX0011 from the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of HHS. Work Attributes Toward Careers in Health (WATCH) is a Health Profession Opportunity Grant and is administered by the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU).

All WATCH participants are required to attend cohort meetings while attending school. These meetings give WATCH participants the opportunity to network with one another, build peer support, promote resiliency among cohort members, and learn about topics related to their educational and career goals.

WATCH Career Coordinators plan the meetings with input from participants.

Topics addressed at cohort meet-ings have included stress manage-ment and guided imagery, study skills and work habits, strategies for dealing with difficult people, financial aid resources, resume writing and interviewing tips, and overviews of CNA, LPN, and RN program expectations.

WATCH Helps Family

Achieve Goal

A WATCH Success Story

I would like to introduce myself, my name

is Stacey Gallagher. I am married with two

children. My oldest daughter is seven

years old and my youngest is 19 months.

I have been a cosmetologist for 12 years.

After the birth of my oldest child, Lillian,

my desire to be a nurse increased. This

was due to my daughter being born with

many special needs that continue today.

She needs a lot of medical

care. I have had the chance

to meet some wonderful

nurses that helped change

my family’s life. I want to be

one of those nurses!

In August of 2010, I decided

it was time for my family to

make a change. We were

tired of trying to make ends

meet. In October 2010 I took my pre-

entrance exam for the LPN program at

CPI. By January I was starting school. I

travel anywhere from 120-150 miles a

day. That was getting pretty costly in gas

with just one income now in my house-

hold, plus I had to pay a babysitter for my

youngest daughter (my oldest has nursing

By Stacey Gallagher LPN Program at Central PA Institute of Science and Technology, Pleasant Gap Career Coordinator: Ann Miller

WATCH Program Staff Juli Corrigan Director of Outreach and Community Education Katherine Vastine, Program Manager Jean Spaihts, Career Readiness Specialist

Kathy Sprenkle, Data Entry Specialist Mary Mingle, Adult Education Specialist and Report Editor Amy Pfleegor, Management Assistant

Moving Individuals Into Healthcare Careers

An Interview with An Interview with An Interview with HACC’s Marie Johnston, HACC’s Marie Johnston, HACC’s Marie Johnston, Nurse Aide CoordinatorNurse Aide CoordinatorNurse Aide Coordinator

Regional Nursing Programs WATCH clients enroll in CNA, LPN, and RN programs provid-ed by the following educational institutions: Bloomsburg University Central Susquehanna LPN Career Center Central PA Institute of Science and Technology Harrisburg Area Community College Hazleton Area Career Center Lewistown Hospital School of Nursing Lock Haven University – Clearfield Campus Luzerne County Community College (Nanticoke, Berwick, Shamokin, Kulpmont) Mifflin-Juniata Career and Technology Center NSB Trainers Pennsylvania College of Technology Penn State University SUN Area Technical Institute Thomas Jefferson School of Nursing, Geisinger Medical Center Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center

care paid for by insurance). This is where

the WATCH program has helped me.

WATCH helps with gas mileage and helps

to pay child care. This allows my husband

and I to pay household and other bills.

The WATCH program has helped me to

continue with school and to concentrate

more on school work then how I’m going

to pay bills.

Thanks to the WATCH

program, I’m almost fin-

ished with LPN School and

carrying a 98% average.

I’m very thankful for the

help and support I receive

from everyone at the pro-

gram. I hope this program

continues on to help other

families like mine achieve

their goals.

Many WATCH program clients receive nurse aide training through Harrisburg Area Community College’s Nurse Aide Training Program. With 46 certified instructors, HACC provides instruction at 56 sites across 19 Pennsylvania counties. Over 1600 students receive training each year.

We asked Marie Johnston, HACC Nurse Aid Coordina-tor, to share some thoughts about the difference WATCH is making in the region’s nurse aide workforce.

“This is the perfect time for the WATCH program,” Marie maintains. She explains that, as the baby boomers age, there are more people in need of nurse aid services, whether it be in retirement and long-term care nursing facilities or in hospitals and rehabilitation centers.

Marie has observed that WATCH has a positive im-pact on the nurse aide candi-dates enrolling in HACC Nurse Aide training pro-grams: “From what I’ve seen, I definitely think WATCH does a good job screening candidates for

health careers.” Marie re-ports that many WATCH can-didates gain employment in the facilities where they have received training through HACC.

As Ms. Johnston explains, “WATCH mentors students well and assists them finan-cially to meet their goals.” Marie believes that many individuals would never take the first steps into the nursing profession if it were not for WATCH services and sup-port.

Non-Academic Supports Help Students Succeed An April 2011 report from the Community

College Research Center identifies four non-

academic support mechanisms that encour-

age student persistence and success at the

post-secondary level.

Creating meaningful social relationships

helps students feel comfortable in college

and provides access to important

information.

Providing counseling to help students

clarify aspirations and reinforce

commitment allows students to have

clear goals and an understanding of why

college is worthwhile.

Developing college know-how is im-

portant for students to understand the

“unwritten” rules of postsecondary

schools and programs.

Providing services such as on-campus

childcare to help students overcome the

challenges of balancing school with work

and family commitments can increase

persistence. (See reference at right)

I have had the chance to

meet some wonderful

nurses that helped change

my family’s life.

I want to be one of

those nurses!

Reference: CCRC Brief Num-ber 54, How Non-Academic Supports Work: Four Mecha-nisms for Improving Student Outcomes by Melinda Mechur Karp, April 2011

Refer Clients Using Our Toll-Free

Number

1 (855) 2 WATCH 6 1 (855) 292-8246

Something to Celebrate!

Stacey graduated from CPI’s

program on December 14, 2011.

Career Coordinators:

Rebecca Eves Columbia, Montour Counties

Sharon McIntyre Snyder, Mifflin, Lower

Northumberland Counties

Becky Weaver Union, Northumberland

Counties

Gaye Jenkins Lycoming, Clinton, Upper Northumberland Counties

Julie Caringi Clinton, Lycoming Counties

Valerie Forsha Lycoming, Tioga Counties

Ann Miller Centre, Clinton, Mifflin Counties