Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG 1.0)

Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG 1.0) provides education and training to TANF recipients and other low-income individuals for occupations in the healthcare field that pay well and are expected to either experience labor shortages or be in high demand. HPOG 1.0 grantees designed and implemented programs to provide eligible participants with education, occupational training, and support and employment services to help them train for and find jobs in a variety of healthcare professions. The program targets skills and competencies demanded by the healthcare industry, supports career pathways offering clearly defined routes that allow participants to build a career by advancing through successively higher levels of education and training, results in employer- or industry-recognized portable education credentials and professional certifications and licenses, combines support services with education and occupational training to help participants overcome barriers to succeeding in training and finding and keeping a job, and provides training at times and locations that are easily accessible to targeted populations. The 23 study grantees implemented 42 programs in 92 locations across 19 states. Training courses varied in length, with some relatively short courses leading to entry-level jobs in health professions (e.g., Nurses' Aide, Phlebotomist) and other longer-term courses (e.g., Licensed Practical or Registered Nurse) intended to lead to higher-wage jobs. A distinctive feature of local HPOG programs was the relatively wide range of available support services including case management, academic supports such as tutoring, personal and family supports such as assistance with transportation or childcare costs, financial assistance for training and equipment, and employment assistance.