This announcement solicits applications for the FY 2014 Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) ¿ Skills Training and Health Workforce Development of Paraprofessionals grant program.
Authorized in 1972, HCOP provides grants to eligible accredited health professions schools and public and
credit:
private non-profit health or educational entities. The program¿s goal is to provide students from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds an opportunity to develop the skills needed to successfully compete for, enter, and graduate from health or allied health professions schools.
The purpose of this grant program is to train and expand the health paraprofessional workforce to meet the employment needs of the community with a particular focus on team-based care, and to promote employment and a career ladder for those trained through career coaching and placement partnership with the community, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
HRSA¿s Bureau of Health Workforce has made investments in improving diversity in the health professions workforce by training entry-level and health paraprofessional workers, and intends to enhance these efforts through this funding opportunity.
The goal of this investment is to grow the workforce while simultaneously promoting employment and a career ladder for graduates of health paraprofessional training programs.
This funding opportunity also further strengthens HRSA¿s efforts to train individuals from educationally or economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Grantees will be expected to expand the health paraprofessional workforce by supporting education and training for health paraprofessionals that result in a certificate or license.
The HCOP Skills Training and Health Workforce Development of Paraprofessionals grant program will close the gap in access to health care by increasing the number of culturally-competent and well-prepared health paraprofessionals working in rural and underserved communities.