Voices and Viewpoints

This blog is part of a series of blog posts concerning results of the third party evaluation of the Health Professions Pathways (H2P) Consortium, a Trade Adjustment Act Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) Round One grantee of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration.

OCCRL's recently published evaluation of the Health Professions Pathways (H2P) consortium funded by the Trade Adjustment Act Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) Round One grant (October 2011 - September 2014) provides important insights into implementation and impact of healthcare education reform on a large scale. This 9-member consortium, led by Cincinnati State Technical Community College, exceeded it's target enrollment by well over 100%, reaching over 6,500 participants. Nearly 5,000 of these students enrolled in one or more of the consortium's many TAACCCT-funded programs of study, with the remainder participating in strategies funded by the grant, such as enhanced student supports and credit for prior learning.

Several facts stand out about the H2P participants:

• 31% of participants' highest level of previous education was a high school diploma or equivalent
• 29% of participants were not employed when they enrolled in H2P
• 24% of participants had some college but no credential prior to enrolling in H2P
• 68% of participants earned at least one credential or were still enrolled three years after the start of that grant
• 15% of all H2P credential earners obtained multiple credentials and over 500 more credential earners were still enrolled at the end of the evaluation period

To read more about the H2P consortium, please see the Executive Summary, Implementation report and Impact report. The H2P Consortium continues to strive to scale healthcare education reform nationally, and those interested in learning more about this effort are encouraged to visit the H2P website.

Dr. Marianne Krismer was Consortium Director for H2P TAACCCT 1 grant, founding director of the Greater Cincinnati Health Careers Consortium and former Dean of Health and Public Safety at Cincinnati State.

Marianne can be reached at:  mkrismer61@gmail.com.

Dr. Debra D. Bragg is the founding director of the Office of Community College Research and Research and Leadership.