Central Region Assists in Bridging the Healthcare Gap

In November 2022, Central Missouri Community Action (CMCA) was involved in many community rural health conversations about the lack of short-term health occupational training available in Callaway County. Missouri faced a shortage in the healthcare workforce. Online training is available once employed through local, qualified nursing homes; however, it limits opportunities for those already employed elsewhere and wanting to increase their wages.

CMCA began hosting monthly virtual meetings to bring together human service agencies such as Job Point, Central Ozarks Private Industry Council (COPIC), New Bloomfield, North Callaway, Fulton, and South Callaway high school counselors and the Callaway County Health Department to discuss how to implement in-person Certified Nurses Assistant Training in Callaway County. These virtual meetings formed a multi-agency collaboration called the SHOT Initiative (Short-term Health Occupational Training) that brought specific strengths from various partners to address a community need.

Job Point currently provides many short-term training opportunities in Boone County and has been a valuable member of the Callaway Resource Network. Job Point acknowledged the need and agreed to provide a CNA instructor to Callaway County.

Training space was provided by Callaway Electric Cooperative Community Room and Callaway County Health Department and approved by the state. Job Point requires specific immunizations and drug screenings to be completed, and the Callaway County Health Department team eagerly stepped in to assist interested students with local public health services. Fulton Manor also agreed to become a qualified, local clinical site to provide access for CNA students to complete required clinical hours without transportation as a barrier.

Also, to eliminate the financial barrier of the cost of the CNA training, employment and training programs such as CMCA’s Skill Up program and Financial Opportunity Center were available to eligible applicants, which provided coaching services for employment and income support. COPIC also provided Workforce Investment Opportunity Act (WIOA) services to qualified high school students and adults, such as career readiness, planning, and job skills training.

Lastly, each student would need to obtain two sets of nursing scrubs which were graciously purchased for each student by Dreams to Reality. In the past, Dreams to Reality had been a valuable partner by providing professional clothing for individuals seeking employment and referred by CMCA. Without hesitancy, they stepped up and delivered a hand-up to the CNA students in Callaway County.

At this time, eight students in Callaway County are enrolled in the CNA training provided by Job Point and will earn their credentials in July. As part of CMCA’s current strategic priority outcomes: ALL people in the CMCA service area have quality employment opportunities and economic stability. This outcome could only happen with local agencies’ genuine partnership. It truly takes a village.