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NEWS FROM
CAMBRIDGE HEALTH ALLIANCE
April 9, 2009
The State of Massachusetts Awards $500,000 Grant
to Cambridge Health Alliance and Northeastern University's College
of Professional Studies to Train Nurses and Health Care Employees
'Health Careers Learning Partnership' is aimed
at bridging the gap between the number of qualified health care
professionals and job vacancies in the allied health fields
Cambridge, MA...Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA), in partnership
with Northeastern University's College of Professional Studies,
has received a $500,000 grant from the Workforce Competitiveness
Trust Fund, administered by Commonwealth Corporation on behalf of
the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, to fund
training, education, and credentialing programs for nurses and health
care employees. Funded over three years, the "Health Careers
Learning Partnership" will offer a bachelor's degree program
for registered nurses (RN-to-BSN), and pre-requisite courses and
a college readiness certificate program for health care employees.
Shifting demographics and an increasing need for elderly care are
driving demand for industry-qualified, trained health care professionals
at public hospital systems like CHA. The Health Careers Learning
Partnership aims to address CHA's workforce needs.
"We are delighted to partner on this grant with Northeastern
University's College of Professional Studies, a recognized leader
in professional education," said Dennis Keefe, CHA's Chief
Executive Officer. "This project will help Cambridge Health
Alliance offer better patient care and delivery to the community
we serve, and provide career pathways for our employees to gain
industry-recognized credentials and skills."
Registered nurses will have the opportunity to earn a bachelor's
degree in nursing through the RN-to-BSN program. For employees who
are interested in enrolling in a health care college degree program,
pre-requisite courses in the sciences will be offered through the
College of Professional Studies. Additionally, college readiness
and English language programs will be offered to those who need
to enhance their academic foundation while building toward college
pre-requisite courses. These programs are designed to eliminate
barriers of entry to college degree programs.
"Cambridge Health Alliance is competing in a marketplace where
qualified and credentialed nurses are in constant high demand,"
said Christopher E. Hopey, Ph.D., Vice President and Dean, College
of Professional Studies, Northeastern University. "At the College
of Professional Studies, we're proud to join forces with Cambridge
Health Alliance to provide educational pathways for registered nurses
and health care employees. This project also underscores Northeastern's
commitment to the City of Boston and the development of a sustainable
workforce in the region's key industries such as health care."
The College of Professional Studies provides adults, international
students and working professionals with an education that is innovative,
flexible, and substantial and at the nexus of practice and academic
theory. Its programs are designed to reflect students' career goals
and provide them the opportunity for advancement. The College has
developed a rich academic curriculum that corresponds to thriving
industries such as healthcare, education, business, creative media,
and information technology.
Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research
university located in the heart of Boston. Northeastern is a leader
in interdisciplinary research, urban engagement, and the integration
of classroom learning with real-world experience. The university's
distinctive cooperative education program, where students alternate
semesters of full-time study with semesters of paid work in fields
relevant to their professional interests and major, is one of the
largest and most innovative in the world. The University offers
a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading
to degrees through the doctorate in six undergraduate colleges,
eight graduate schools, and two part-time divisions. For more information,
please visit www.neu.edu.
Cambridge Health Alliance is an innovative, award-winning
health system that provides high quality care in Cambridge, Somerville,
and Boston's metro-north communities. It includes three hospital
campuses, a network of primary care and specialty practices, the
Cambridge Public Health Dept., and the Network Health plan. CHA
is a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate and is also affiliated
with Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard School of Dental Medicine,
and Tufts University School of Medicine. Visit us online at www.challiance.org.
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Media Contact
David Cecere
Media Relations Manager
Phone: 617-503-8428
Cell: 617-921-9613
Pager: 617-546-1879
dcecere@challiance.org
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