PHILADELPHIA, Pa., March 7 -- Temple University issued the following news release:
A new Temple program is providing a pathway to jobs in one of the nation's fastest-growing employment areas.
Funded by a $1.6 million grant from the U.
S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families, Temple's Health Information Professions (HIP) Career Pathways Initiative offers qualified low-income residents free training leading to certification for positions in medical accounts and electronic health records.
The U.
S. Department of Labor has classified health information professions as an emerging job market. With Philadelphia's unemployment nearly at 2 percent above the national average, the program is designed to help more city residents find work.
'We want to empower low-income people with the opportunity to get into a rapidly growing field where they'll be able to earn their own self-sustaining wages,' said Shirley Moy, interim director of the Center for Social Policy and Community Development (CSPCD), which is coordinating the program.
The center also offers supplemental help during participation in the Career Pathways Initiative, including childcare services, adult literacy services and case management. Non-credit certification takes about 18 weeks, but the program also offers assistance with scholarships and tuition help to eligible students who enroll in credit-bearing programs leading to an associate's or bachelor's degree in health information management or master's degree in health informatics. Upon completion of the program, CSPCD will assist with job placement.
'We understand that success doesn't mean simply completing the training program,' said Moy. 'To that end, we're offering supportive services to break down some of the barriers that impede access to achievement - things like transportation, childcare issues and lack of social supports.'
The inaugural class of the HIP Career Pathways Initiative recently completed their orientation at Temple's Main Campus, and several participants lauded the program's support system.
'This program is beyond what any technical school offers in terms of support,' said participant Naeemah Felder, a single parent to four girls. 'This is a much better opportunity, both in terms of time and the level of assistance you receive.'
If participants are interested in continuing their education after completion of the program, they have the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree through Temple's Department of Health Information Management, one of only two degree programs in the Philadelphia region certified by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education.
'We're all here, from different backgrounds, and we all want to succeed, but not having a job makes it difficult to afford quality training,' said Felder. 'This program gives people who want to work the boost they need to get their foot in the door.'
For more information about the HIP Career Pathways Program at the Center for Social Policy and Community Development, contact Mansura Karim at 215-204-7491 or mkarim@temple.edu. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
Renee Cree, 215/204-6522, renee.cree@temple.edu.
