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Health Careers Education

Program that helps students gain insight into the health care industry, explore health-related areas, and prepare for career entry/postsecondary education.

Purpose

The Health Careers Education (HCE) program is based on the comprehensive needs assessment of vocational education programs in the state plan submitted under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998. The health careers program presents information to students early in their education program that will cause them to consider a career in health care; to integrate the health careers curriculum across the disciplines; and to design cumulative, articulated content across the levels of education.

Health careers education programs operate at the high school and adult levels to achieve the goals and purposes as follows:

  • Implementation of standards-based curriculum
  • Use of standards-based assessment systems
  • Continuing integration and sequencing of core academics and health careers context
  • Incorporation of instruction in all aspects of the industry
  • Curriculum and program strategies reflecting workplace needs
  • Instructional and support services responsive to the needs of students
  • Expansion of program articulation efforts with postsecondary options
  • Improvement of guidance services
  • Use of technology

Program Goal

The goal of the health careers education program is to establish a rich, rigorous, integrated health careers path, kindergarten through employment, to serve students from every school in California.   Establishing quality integrated programs that are accessible to all students will enable them to fulfill their individual career goals and will help meet the health care industry's human resource demands.

Benefits for Students

  • Enables students to make career decisions consistent with their aptitudes, interests, abilities, and academic achievement.
  • Provides a program of instruction that prepares students for postsecondary education and for employment.
  • Enables more students to achieve higher levels of academic and career preparation.
  • Provides added relevancy and meaning to the students' educational learning from kindergarten through career.
  • Eliminates the need for remediation for students in the health careers program who wish to enter postsecondary education or employment.

Funding

California Health Science Capacity Building Project Grant for FY 2007-08
The California Department of Education (CDE) in coordination with the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges (COCCC) is pleased to announce the availability of incentive grant funds for the Health Science Capacity Building Project, authorized by Governor’s Career Technical Education (CTE) Budget. This project provides funds for establishing new Health Science pathway programs and for enhancing existing Health Science pathway programs.

Technical Assistance Workshops

Health Science Capacity Building Grant Request for Application
Technical Assistance Workshop Dates and Locations

Workshops will focus on the Health Science Capacity Building Grant project’s expectations and outcomes. The presenter will discuss and answer questions to help Health Science and Medical Technology pathway sites develop their applications to meet project expectations.

March 25 (Tuesday)          
San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina
333 West Harbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92101
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Room: New York/Orlando

This workshop is being held during the California Partnership Academy Conference in San Diego.

March 28 (Friday)              
Sacramento Residence Inn by Marriott
1501 L Street
Sacramento, CA  95814
9:00 am –10:00 am
Room: Conference Room

April 1 (Tuesday)   
Rancho Cucamonga Chamber of Commerce
7945 Vineyard Avenue
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
12:00 noon – 1:00 pm
Board Room

April 2 (Wednesday)         
Fresno ROP
1318 E. Shaw Ave
Fresno, CA  93721
11:00 am – 12:00 noon
Suite 400                            

April 4 (Friday)        
Shasta Learning Center
2200 Eureka Way
Redding, CA  96001
12:00 noon – 1:00 pm

Resources

Health Careers Resource Consortium (Outside Source)
A statewide resource center that supports health careers education through technical assistance, professional development opportunities, resource documents, career path marketing materials, and summer Educator Internship Institutes. Resources for educators, students and health care industry partners are available through the Health Careers Resource Consortium Web site.

California Association of Health Careers (Outside Source)
A statewide organization comprised of dedicated educators and health care industry representatives committed to the preparation of a qualified health care workforce. The mission of the California Association of Health Careers Educators (CAHCE) is to improve the quality of career preparation and education, provide professional growth opportunities, networking, leadership, advocacy, and support for health careers educators throughout California.

California Health Occupations Students of America (Cal-HOSA) (Outside Source)
A student organization whose mission is to promote career opportunities in health care and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people.   Cal-HOSA provides a unique program of leadership development, motivation, and recognition exclusively for secondary, postsecondary, adult, and collegiate students enrolled in health occupations education programs. Membership in HOSA is restricted to health occupations students.

California Career Pathways Consortia (CCPC) (Outside Source)
Five individual consortia/projects have been involved in Career Technical Education and Tech Prep for a number of years: the Agriculture Project at Modesto Jr. College; the Business Project at Allan Hancock Community College District; the Health Services Project at Kern High School District; Engineering Project at American River College; and the Industrial and Technology Project at State Center Consortium. The mission of the CCPC is to offer a variety of services, products, and technical assistance to providers of career opportunities and education.

National Consortium on Health Science & Technology Education (NCHSTE) (Outside Source)
The National Consortium on Health Science and Technology Education is a national partnership of individuals and organizations with a vested interest in health science and technology education.

The mission of the Consortium is to shape and influence national policy on the preparation and employment of health care personnel. The purpose of the Consortium is to continue to contribute to effective and efficient delivery of health care and preparation of a qualified workforce through fostering collaboration among education agencies, the health care community, policy-making bodies, and labor.

Health Care Foundation Standards (Outside Source)
The standards reflect the skills and knowledge, both academic and technical, necessary to pursue a full range of opportunities within the health careers cluster from entry level to management, including technical and professional specialties.  

Health Care Foundation Standards Assessment
A Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) is available at National Consortium on Health Science and Technology Education (Outside Source).This assessment will provide a certificate for students who pass both academic and technical skills necessary to pursue a full range of career opportunities within the health care cluster, including technical and professional career specialties.

Contacts

The Health Careers Education Program is administered by:

California Department of Education
Secondary, Postsecondary, and Adult Leadership Division
High School Initiatives/Career Technical Education Office
1430 N Street, Suite 4503
Sacramento, CA 95814

Cindy Beck, Health Careers Education Consultant
916-319-0470
cbeck@cde.ca.gov

Linda Gaylor, Education Program Consultant, Cal-HOSA State Advisor
916-319-0504
lgaylor@cde.ca.gov

Questions:  Cindy Beck | cbeck@cde.ca.gov | 916-319-0470
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