Health Professions Opportunity Grant: A Decade of Success
The Health Professions Opportunity Grant (HPOG), funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was implemented by the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) in late 2010. Designed to meet the expanding labor needs of Seattle-King County, HPOG connects job seekers to training that leads to careers in healthcare. This year marks the 11th and possibly final year of the program, with HPOG slated to end in September without re-authorization by Congress. As we look back, and look forward, it is important to highlight the accomplishments of program participants and the organizations the WDC has partnered with for more than a decade to bring success to TANF recipients, immigrants and refugees, and large and small healthcare employers.
With an annual investment of $1.9 million into the King County healthcare workforce system, HPOG provides training to low-income populations to fill critical staffing shortages in healthcare. Participants receive navigation support to embark on college coursework that leads to training completion, state licensing, and employment. Over a decade of success, HPOG has shown a decrease in reliance on public assistance while creating a pipeline of skilled workers into the healthcare industry.
King County labor market data shows a gap of 3,800 jobs in healthcare practitioner occupations, and the need is projected to grow substantially over the next few years. The HPOG program acts as a critical resource to help healthcare employers meet their needs. By partnering with colleges and industry, the program’s structure allows for multiple pathways into healthcare based on participant interest, skill-level, and occupational demand.
The numbers tell the story of programmatic achievement. Since HPOG’s inception:
1,335 job seekers began on 28 different healthcare training pathways
783 program participants (and counting) started careers in healthcare, earning an average hourly wage of $20.20 once employed
73% of Registered Nurses have completed training, while an additional 20% are engaged in training and on track to graduate
82% of TANF recipients who gained employment exited public assistance
84% of youth enrolled in the 8-week healthcare exploration program started college within 2 years
Program demographics show a diversity of participants entering training:
49% Black/African American, 17% Latino, 10% Asian
48% single parents
18% reported having been victims of domestic violence
The voices of participants, program navigators, and employers echo that success. In the words of one program navigator:
“I can easily say that this is one of the most impactful grants I have ever been a part of. This grant has served those who need it most: our homeless, our unemployed and our underemployed; those receiving TANF, SNAP and other local assistance to improve their situations. I have seen this program transform an individual who lacks confidence into a strong, proud Nurse that can now help those in need instead of being the one in need.”
From a program participant:
“I travelled from Kenya to here in 2018, in pursuit of a brighter future for my kids and myself. I enrolled in the HPOG program and learned about the various careers in healthcare. The class itself gave us a feel for how college life would be. It was a kind of gauge. During the class we were also given access to a counselor. This again was a big relief because the school life also came with new challenges including time management. It was very overwhelming, especially in the beginning. It was in this class that I made up my mind to pursue nursing. I was sponsored for a Certified Nursing Assistant class, with my tuition, books, and scrubs paid for.
Currently I am working as a CNA. It has been a tough journey, very tough, but all the support that I have received made all this possible. My success so far has been due to the immense support I received from the people and organizations that have come through for me in one way or another. If not for their support, I would not be this far along the pathway. I will be forever grateful. I plan on joining an RN program. My dream is slowly turning into a reality.”
According to the Korean Women’s Association:
“The program has been instrumental in growing our business, especially during COVID. We have participated in several events that allowed us to interview and hire over 20 program participants since 2015. We’ve found the HPOG participants to be focused job seekers, fantastic employees, and committed to continuing their careers in healthcare.”
Over more than a decade of serving and learning through HPOG, the WDC and program partners have instituted innovations responsive to industry and participant needs. The WDC partnered with Highline College to offer an 8-week Healthcare Exploration for Youth summer program for young adults ages 16 through 24. Youth earn college credits as they explore healthcare careers, obtain clinical skills, and prepare to enter college. Data shows that more than 80% of students began college in Washington state after completing the program.
Based on employer demand, the WDC partnered with the Washington Department of Labor & Industries and the Washington Association for Community Health to develop the state’s first Medical Assistant apprenticeship program. The model included customized cohorts to support advancement of incumbent healthcare workers in direct partnership with local area employers. As local employers face staffing challenges related to COVID-19, apprenticeship continues to be seen as a solution. A strong partnership with University of Washington Medical Centers will see continued apprenticeship enrollment at their hospitals and neighborhood clinics in the coming months.
Across more than a decade, more than a thousand participants, hundreds of TANF recipients, and dozens of partners and employers, HPOG has shown success in program completion, credential attainment, and living wage employment that should serve as models for future federal and state programs. The WDC, employers, and program partners hope to continue that success. It is now up to policymakers to ensure that successful programs like this one are able to continue.
This document was supported by Grant 90FX0037 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 views of HHS.