SLPS Receives Grant to Provide Work-Based Education for High Demand Health

Press release

Immediate Release                                                                                                                                                               Contact: Julie Linder

July 24, 2012                                                                                                                                                                          (314) 345-2367          

                                                                                                                                                                                                @JulieLinder

 

SLPS Receives Grant to Provide Work-Based Education for High Demand Health Careers

 

ST. LOUIS, MO. July 24, 2012- The St. Louis Public School District's Office of Career and Technical Education (CTE) has been awarded a grant valued at more than $182,000 from the Missouri Foundation for Health to increase gender and ethnic diversity in high-demand health careers in the St. Louis region.

 

Currently, the District offers health services programs for student in direct patient care, rehabilitation therapy, respiratory therapy, and emergency medical technician certification. All four careers are listed as "High Demand" Occupations by the Missouri Department of Economic Development. Moreover, the City of St. Louis is listed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as a Medically Underserved Area/Population.  

 

"Enrollment does not adequately reflect the community needs for male health providers or for providers of ethnicities," said Tim Murrell, Executive Director of the Office of Career and Technical Education.

 

While classes in the health services programs typically fill to capacity, CTE's current staffing does not provide sufficient time for specialized recruitment for increasing gender and ethnic diversity or for solidifying work-based instruction partnerships with community health providers.  In 2011, 493 students enrolled in the District's health services programs, with the student population representing 78.7% female and 21.3% male. Student ethnicity was also recorded with the population representing 86.8% African-American, 10.9% English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and 2.3% Caucasian.

 

With enrollment projected to go as high as  550 in 2012, and 575 in 2013 and 2014,the grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health will fund a new Health Industry Liaison to 1) increase recruitment and promotional efforts, including target outreach to male and ESOL students; 2) ensure competency-based internships reflecting the ethnic and cultural needs of the seniors enrolled in the programs; and 3)increase field experiences for the juniors enrolled in the program and fund Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) memberships for the juniors and seniors enrolled in the programs.

 

For more information, please contact the Office of Public Information (314) 345-2367.

 

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Thanks,

Julie Linder

Media Relations

NEW! Twitter: @JulieLinder

Cell: 314-393-0572

Office: 314-345-2367