IHA WIO Summer Newsletter
IHA WIO was asked to apply to the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation (MCHF) to request funding for its Scholarship Program. This application would fund a third year of the program for $500,000 in scholarships to IHA members and is almost double what IHA was invited to apply for last year. MCHF will notify IHA regarding award of the grant in December.
IHA Mother Cabrini Scholarship Program
IHA requested funding to continue the popular IHA MCHF Scholarship Program. In 2022 the program distributed $264,000 to 28 hospitals and benefitted 140 employees. In 2023 the program distributed $249,700 to 28 hospitals.
IHA asked for an increased grant amount this year to expand the program and be able to provide funding to all of its member hospitals. The 2024 round of scholarships would be available for low-income or diverse employees seeking education in the following areas: RN, Medical Assistant, Respiratory Therapist, Medical Tech, Surgical Tech. The funded programs were selected based on the most recent vacancy data collected by IHA.
Learn about the IHA Mother Cabrini Scholarship program here.
IHA Community Healthcare Educational Consortium
IHA applied for a three-year grant to initiate a new program that would support “Early College in the High School” (ECHS) programs and establish partnerships with IHA member hospitals. ECHS introduces high school students to opportunities in healthcare, allowing them to shadow employees, complete internships, and earn college credits before graduating twelfth grade. Introducing students at an earlier age encourages them to go into the healthcare field, and gives them a head start on their post high school education. Connecting hospitals with the students forms relationships and hospitals are able to offer scholarships and future employment, encouraging a robust workforce pipeline.
IHA would provide funding to Oswego Health to expand their existing ECHS program, as well as pilot new programs in two other locations within IHA’s catchment area.
IHA Acute Care Training Program
IHA requested funding to continue the IHA Acute Care Training Program for a fourth year. The program would remain the same, offering free online training to IHA members. The current curriculum includes approximately 120 courses selected to advance knowledge of a wide range of topics integral to entry level employees. Select tracks include patient care basics, healthcare 101, business skills, cultural awareness & implicit bias, customer service, emergency management, self-growth & life skills, communication essentials, coaching & mentorship, and teamwork.
This grant would also allow IHA to produce a second online tool-kit, focusing on violence in the workplace. The online tool-kit is a collection of resources and strategies intended to help hospital administrators think holistically about current challenges they face.
See the full list of available courses and learn about the IHA Acute Care Training Program here.
If you have questions or would like to learn more about any of these programs, please email us at ihawio@iroquois.org.