North Carolina
PHCAST Demonstration Grant
Grantee: NC Department of
Health and Human Services
PHCAST is Funded by the US
Department of Health and Human
Services - Health Resources and
Services Administration (HRSA)
Key Concepts
1.
Builds on prior direct care workforce (DCW) initiatives in NC and
Partner Team approach to development and implementation
2.
Strengthens new AND incumbent direct care worker training
3.
Uses a 4-phase framework that integrates training pathways for direct
care workers across long term care settings
4.
Expands state-recognized DCW career path options
5.
Improves all training using adult-centered learning strategies to
increase access to health care jobs
6.
PHCAST training/competency can be integrated with other initiatives
to improve direct care jobs
PHCAST Personal and Home Care State Training
COMPONENTS
Phase I - Job readiness, Literacy/Numeracy, keyboarding
and realistic job previewing skills
Phase II - Non-Nurse Aide personal care task and soft
skills development
Phase III - Enhanced Nurse Aide content/delivery
Phase IV - Advanced Nurse Aide I knowledge & skills-
Home Care Nurse Aide (new) focuses on specific care
environment. This phase will also create a track parallel to
Geriatric aide or Medication aide career path options for
nurse aides in NC.
NC PHCAST Project Status

Curricula/competencies developed (Phases I, II, IV Home
Care) & pilots on-going

Revised Phase III (NA) curriculum & available for
statewide use - required use by Fall 2013.

NC Home Care Aide Registry implemented

Compiling pilot feedback for curricula revisions (I, II & IV)

Adult Care Home pilots identified for in-service training
Importance to Workers, Employers,
Consumers, Others

Realistic job previewing and workforce matching

Competency based and achievement oriented phases
taught through high schools and community colleges

Develops a model for personal and home care aide training
(entry-level and advanced)

NA I training enhanced with additional adult learning
strategies and new delivery format

Enhanced state recognized career paths, employability

System and competencies responds to employer needs

Option to use curricula modules for in-service training use
Importance to Workers, Employers,
Consumers, Others

More efficient use of NA I training programs (e.g., diverts
or retains employee/learners based on full information
regarding jobs)

Employer recruitment of workers more focused

Reduces persistent barriers to training

High School students – job/career ready (NA I & Phase IV)

Integration with other QI Initiatives

Better trained/more competent workers = better care for
consumers
Preliminary Indicators of Success
 We are meeting a need. Enrollment has exceeded our
expectations with 12 community colleges, 3 high schools
and 250 of the 300 participants enrolled by the middle of
year 2.
 Educational partners perceive this 4 phase model as filling
an important gap for unemployed workers seeking work in
health care.
 Approximately 80% of phase 1 enrollees, persist into phase
2 (Direct Care Basics).
 Employer-Educator partnerships are building where
students are also incumbent workers.
Key Facilitators for Success
 Partnership (Stakeholders at the table and invested in
the process)
 Incremental and meaningful career lattice development

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Manageable yet meaningful steps
Clarify pathways
Align with competencies
Align with incremental rewards
Early success breeds later persistence
 Leveraging resources: Community college integration
Sustainability

Framework makes sense for North Carolina

Phases I & II, linked to human resource development
programs

State-recognized job categories

Responds to employer need

Integration with other DCW policy/practice initiatives
(e.g., NC NOVA, Star Rating, in-service training)

Potential to add new modules/job categories

Employers and other key stakeholders involved in process
Beyond PHCAST
 Work with employer partners to meaningfully
integrate training with career lattices
 Work with employer partners to disseminate
continuing education modules
 Integration with other settings
 Effective Interdisciplinary Teams
 Additional modules/job category
 Consumer directed care training issues