The Healthcare Opportunity Pathway in Education (HOPE) Program

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Policy Status

  • Type: Model Policy
  • Status: Draft
  • Date Introduced: July 18, 2025

Task Forces

  • Health and Human Services
  • Education and Workforce Development

    • Tags

  • 2025 Annual Meeting

    • Summary

    The Healthcare Opportunity Pathway in Education (HOPE) Program aims to address the shortage of healthcare professionals by providing high school students with increased opportunities for healthcare career pathways through on-site and virtual career training programs.
    Draft

    The Healthcare Opportunity Pathway in Education (HOPE) Program

    Section 1. Definition 

    (a) “Department of Education” shall mean the state educational agency responsible for overseeing the education system of the state. 

    (b) “Department of Labor” shall mean the state labor agency responsible for handling the labor and workforce issues of the state. 

    Section 2. Purpose 

    (a) The purpose of this program is to provide for increased opportunities for healthcare career pathways for high school students in order to address the growing shortage of healthcare professionals and the barriers preventing high schools from implementing healthcare career programs. 

    Section 3. Administration 

    (a) The Department of Education, in coordination with the Department of Labor, shall administer a statewide competitive grant program for high schools to implement virtual and on-site healthcare career training programs. 

    (b) The Department of Education shall oversee implementation of the grant program and shall award grants based on (1) regional healthcare workforce shortages; (2) strength of hospital partnerships and clinical training opportunities; and (3) ability to provide equal opportunity to career access by students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. 

    (c) Grant recipients may use the funds to:

    • a. Partner with local hospital systems to provide on-site clinical apprenticeships;
    • b. Enroll students into DOL-approved apprenticeships, including, without limitation, certified nursing assistant (CAN), medical assistant (MA), pharmacy technician, patient care technician, medical billing and coding specialist, phlebotomy technician, behavioral health technician, EKG technician, surgical technologist, and healthcare IT specialist;
    • c. Align instruction with high-demand healthcare certifications, including, without limitation, certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA), certified phlebotomy technician (CPT), certified medial administrative assistant (CMAA), emergency medical technician (EMT), behavioral technician specialist (BTS), pharmacy technician certification (CphT), certified surgical technician (CST), patient care technician (PCT), and certified dental assistant (CDA);
    • d. Allow hospital systems to determine the list of certifications based on regional labor needs; and
    • e. Provide full supplemental insurance coverage for hospital partners to eliminate liability concerns for student apprenticeships.

    (d) The program shall prioritize the use of existing funding streams, including, without limitation:

    • a. State Career and Technical Education (CTE) funds;
    • b. Workforce Development funds;
    • c. Apprenticeship expansion grants;
    • d. Private sector and healthcare system voluntary contributions; and
    • e. Public-private partnerships.

    (e) The Department of Education shall ensure grants are awarded in a manner that maximizes existing funding streams before allocating new state funds. 

    (f) The Department of Education shall collect and report: (1) student participation rates and certification completions; (2) employment outcomes, including job placement rates; and (3) employer satisfaction and workforce impact. 

    (g) The Department of Education shall submit an annual report to the legislature, including recommendations for program refinements and expansion.