Community Voices is making a significant contribution to understanding the health workforce challenges facing communities, advancing recommendations for change, and implementing solutions.  Working with Community-Campus Partnerships for Health on the project, Preparing the Health Workforce of the Future: Community Voices Service-Learning Partnerships, Community Voices sites are working to facilitate and strengthen partnerships with nearby colleges and universities, and to articulate the role of communities in achieving a competent, diverse health workforce. 

FirstHealth of the Carolinas is a partner in developing the Health Academy in collaboration with the local community college and school district. The project started in the Fall of 2002, working with juniors and seniors in high school to encourage them to enroll in math and science classes. The students are linked to a mentor at FirstHealth, and are offered the chance to earn college credits at the community college if their high school courses are completed. Students can take courses in EMT Basic skills, anatomy and physiology, and medical terminology. The program was initiated by the community college and involves the local school district and FirstHealth. 

In addition, in partnership with the community college, FirstHealth started a retirement enrichment center.  They collaborated with the community college system to bring in a recently retired individual to insure that courses at the center are geared towards the interest of seniors.  FirstHealth and the local community college are also discussing plans to start a dental assisting/dental hygiene program. 

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For more information about Community-Campus Partnerships for Health, contact:
Sarena D. Seifer, Executive Director, sarena@u.washington.edu
Rachel Vaughn, Program Coordinator, rvaughn@u.washington.edu