Let’s Continue to “Grow Our Own” Strong and Diverse Community Health Center Workforce via The Health Professions Education and Training (HP-ET) Initiative!
The California Primary Care Association (CPCA), alongside the Health Resources & Services Administration Bureau of Health Workforce (HRSA BHW) and Primary Care Associations, are working hard to increase provider recruitment and retention. One way to do this is by encouraging and facilitating health professional education and training (HP-ET) in our community health centers.
The initiative will enhance health centers’ capabilities to recruit, develop, and retain their workforce by exposing health and allied health professions students, trainees, and residents to education and training programs conducted at health centers.
Why HP-ET Matters
A Nationwide Approach to GROW the Community Health Center Workforce
CPCA had the opportunity to connect with Dr. Luis Padilla, Associate Administrator the Bureau of Health Workforce, in this blog interview on HRSA’s HP-ET Initiative vision and goals to build a stronger CHC workforce through health professions training programs.
A Survey to Assess CHC Readiness to Launch Health Professions Training Programs: Readiness to Train Assessment Tool (RTAT)
As part of the HP-ET Initiative, Community Health Center (CHC), Inc. developed the Readiness to Train Assessment Tool (RTAT) survey to assist health centers in assessing and improving their readiness to engage in health professions training programs. CPCA encouraged health centers to participate in this survey tool between September 2020 and February 2021. CPCA will use survey results to develop and deliver training/technical assistance (T/TA) on health professions training and workforce strategic planning that help health centers reach their workforce development goals. On June 23rd, 2021, CHC, Inc. shared an initial RTAT report with CPCA and timeline for the next phases of data release. Please view the webcast and resources below to learn more about this new timeline and initial report findings.
Webinar Series
Exploring the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Role in Health Centers:
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP) expand the workforce capacity of mental health providers who can also provide primary care. This webinar explored the value and integration of PMHNPs in community health center settings and highlighted UC’s new PMHNP Online Certificate Program. Webinar recording here. UCSF program overview here.
Registered Apprenticeships for CHCs 101:
With critical workforce shortages, more health care employers are using Registered Apprenticeships or “earn and learn” training models to improve their staff recruitment and retention. CPCA hosted an introductory apprenticeship 101 training on August 25, 2021. View recording here.
HP-ET Resources
Smartsheet Library
This CPCA HP-ET Smartsheet library provides a one stop hub of toolkits, reports, templates, and previously recorded trainings available to health centers to assist with developing or enhancing trainings program and partnerships.
Promotion and Peer-to-Peer Learning Resources
CPCA created this package of resources that highlight CHCs as leaders in health professions training and promote peer-to-peer learning. In this package, CHCs can find a “health profession training organization” virtual badge and customizable templates for program highlights, testimonials, and promising practices sheets. We encourage CHCs to utilize these resources to showcase their work to trainees, partners, academic institutions, funders, and legislators! Learn more about how to implement these resources by checking out the “HP-ET Materials Guidelines”
here .
HP-ET Workgroup
CPCA’s HP-ET Workgroup offers a space for members and CPCA staff to strategize the development of training and technical assistance (T/TA) that supports health center health professions training. The workgroup meets bimonthly.
Health Professions Education and Training Template for Assessment and Action
CPCA partnered with the Education Health Center Initiative (EHCI), a partnership between the Northwest Regional Primary Care Association (NWRPCA), Community Health Center Association of Mountain/Plains States (CHAMPS), and Wipfli LLP, to develop this new “Health Professions Education and Training Template for Assessment and Action Plan” toolkit. With this toolkit, CHCs can enhance their capacity to train new health professionals from any discipline by laying out strategies and action steps informed by data and resources. CHCs are encouraged to tailor the template featured in the toolkit to reflect existing and desired health professions programs, whether accredited, owned, and operated by the CHC, a continuity site, a rotation site, or another model. View this short webcast overview and download the toolkit on the CPCA store (free of charge) to discover how to build effective strategic workforce plans for your training program/s.
Medical Assistant Development Toolkit for Clinical Managers and Supervisors
This toolkit highlights practical tools, examples, and resources from California community health centers that help clinical managers and supervisors foster a strong medical assistant team. Topics covered include recruitment, training, career development, finances, and return on investment. The toolkit is available for free download on the
CPCA store.
Developing MSW Field Education Partnerships: A Guide for Community Health Centers
This guide serves as a resource for Directors of community health centers (CHCs) who are seeking to develop and enhance field training or internship partnerships with accredited Master of Social Work (MSW) programs in California. This guide is available for free download on the
CPCA store.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $4,398,941 with 0% percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
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Questions
Please contact Nataly Tellez, Director of Health Center Operations, at
ntellez@cpca.org.