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EDUCATION RCC lands $14.6 million job-training grant for low-income students Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 19, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 19, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News A $14.6 million federal grant awarded to Rogue Community College will benefit nearly 1,100 new low-income students in job training and education programs for health careers. RCC officials said the new Southern Oregon Health Occupations Poverty Elimination Project, funded by the five-year U.S. Department of Health & Human Services grant, will provide training and classes in 16 high-demand health care fields, including occupational skills training, medical assistant, nursing assistant, clinical lab assistant, phlebotomy, licensed massage, EMT training and CNA training. The program will also pay for more than a dozen new positions, four half-time tutors, and create four new academic programs in pharmacy tech, sterile processing, medical billing and coding, and medical office administration. "It could have a really significant impact by creating opportunities for several hundred ... people to become employed, get off of state and federal assistance and into long-term, sustainable-wage jobs. To me that is one of the most amazing impacts we could have," said Genna Southworth, dean of RCC's School of Health and Public Service. "Especially to break the cycle of poverty for people." RCC Dean of Instruction Teresa Rivenes said the school's ultimate goal is to benefit close to 1,000 people, getting them into living-wage careers in the health care field. "That we take a population that is not currently working, that meets federal poverty guidelines, and then basically take about 975 people and take them from where they’re starting into the workplace," she said. Qualifying students must be from Jackson or Josephine counties, earning up to 185 percent of the federal poverty level — $44,863 in annual income for a family of four, for example, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture website — to qualify, Southworth said. Students already enrolled in college-level programs at RCC cannot apply, she added. A news release says applicants who qualify will be put into a lottery and selected from that pool. RCC officials said a key to the program's success will be what she referred to as "wraparound services," or a support staff that will be there every step of the way for the new students. This will include consistent academic advising and coaching and job-placement support. "More schools are trying this approach, especially with more vulnerable populations," said Laurie Rydell, RCC director of adult basic skills. "It seems to make a really big difference." Southworth said barriers can stand in the way of students who come from families that have been in poverty, or close to it, for multiple generations. Southworth said the grant funds will also be able to pay for child care, emergency food and housing support and transportation. "We know those are significant social service issues that may arise," Southworth said. "We will be able to identify, hopefully with our case managers, what those barriers are." Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 19, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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