02/28/2023

Since June 2021, CoCo Farms has donated to the City of Antioch Social Equity Program. After 18 months, we are proud to share the latest report from Opportunity Junction that details the success of their Antioch Certified Nursing Assistant training program.

18-MONTH REPORT: FEBRUARY 2023

In June of 2021, CoCo Farms donated to support an expansion into Antioch of Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training offered by Opportunity Junction (OJ) through the City of Antioch Social Equity Program. Below are details of the impact of the first 18 months of program operation.

As part of the Healthcare Career Pathway (HCP) partnership, OJ provides professional skills training and wrap-around support to CNA students at OJ’s headquarters in Antioch and Mt. Diablo Adult Education in Concord. The partnership’s CNA training is unique in the following ways:

Covering all costs and charging students no tuition
Including support and professional skills training
Incorporating extra hours of training in person-centered care, championed by partner Empowered Aging.

Thanks to donations from CoCo Farms through the City of Antioch Social Equity Program, the program has operated on schedule, enrolling three cohorts a year. OJ has enrolled 70 students at its Antioch location, including 44 Antioch residents.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Students must qualify as low-income by federal Housing and Urban Development guidelines to enroll. The 70 students enrolled in Antioch represent the diversity of those impacted by the war on drugs in Antioch and East Contra Costa.

Residence:

63% of those who enrolled in Antioch during this period were Antioch residents.

A BETTER LIFE FOR AISHIA AND HER FAMILY

Local resident, Aisha, and her family in a group photo. — As a mother of four, Antioch resident Aishia had spent 25 years prioritizing the needs of others in her life. After receiving training through the HCP and landing a new career, she is now earning double her original pay and loving her new job. “I wouldn’t have been able to do this without the additional support from OJ – the food, scrubs, computer – everything made it so easy. I’ve already connected with the alumni manager to make plans to continue my education. I am so grateful for Opportunity Junction. This is the start of a better life for me and my family.”

Race and Ethnicity:

Overall, 94% of enrollees identify as BIPOC and disproportionately come from communities that have suffered from the over-policing of drug crimes.

Age:

Transition-aged youth make up more than half of trainees.

Gender and Average Household Size:

FULL-YEAR OUTCOMES FOR YEAR 1

We met and surpassed most goals for the three Antioch cohorts enrolled during FY2021-22.

Metric	Goals	Results
Antioch Enrollments	24	24
Total Enrollments	45	42
Antioch Grads	21	22
Total Grads	39	39
Antioch Passed Licensing	19	22
Total Passed Licensing	36	39
Antioch Placements	18	18
Total Placements	35	34
Average Starting Wage	$17	$21.65

CHALLENGES DURING YEAR 1

During FY2021-22, we navigated complex challenges associated with the pandemic. Our low-income trainees faced housing and food insecurity, health concerns, mental health issues, and challenges with childcare. We worked to deliver additional support to those who were struggling, including distributing rental assistance funds to those who had not been well-served by the state program. Despite the significant challenges posed by COVID-19 and the resulting economic crisis, we are proud to have sustained our program services during this critical period.

KP’s BARBER SHOP TEACHES SHAVING

Locally known Barber teaches nursers how to shave heads. — In their future roles, CNAs will sometimes assist patients with shaving. To help our Antioch students learn the delicate skill, Kevin Perkins, owner of locally based KP’s Barber Shop, shares professional techniques while trainees practice on balloons.

SIX-MONTH OUTCOMES FOR YEAR 2

With one more enrollment period and two graduations set to take place in the remainder of FY2022-23, we fully expect to meet our goals for the second year of the expansion, too.

Metric	Goals	Results
Antioch Enrollments	22	20
Total Enrollments	42	28
Antioch Grads	19	6
Total Grads	36	9
Antioch Passed Licensing	17	6
Total Passed Licensing	33	9
Antioch Placements	17	5
Total Placements	32	7
Average Starting Wage	$19	$19.57

ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFIT

Each of these new CNAs increases the service capacity of local Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs). California regulations mandate a staffing ratio in SNFs, with each full-time CNA assigned to 2.4 patients on average. However, some SNFs may limit beds for Medi-Cal patients if they can’t meet the required ratio, which disadvantages low-income seniors. Hiring more CNAs helps meet the staffing ratio and promote equity for Medi-Cal patients while also enhancing job satisfaction and retention for healthcare professionals.

RECRUITERS AT GRADUATION

Moments after they turned their tassels, December graduates of the CNA program were greeted by recruiters from skilled nursing facilities, who handed out promotional items and encouraged them to work with their firms. The HCP program is recognized as a highly successful training program; local employers are eager to hire its graduates.

LOOKING AHEAD

With the support of the City of Antioch Social Equity Funding from CoCo Farms, OJ plans to launch new cohorts on May 8, 2023, and in September 2023 and January 2024. The current cohort will celebrate graduation at the El Campanil Theater on April 12, 2023. OJ recognizes this support at the ceremony and in the program and would be honored to acknowledge CoCo Farms and Antioch officials at the event.

CELEBRATING SUCCESS

Tia Scott was all smiles during the graduation ceremony for Antioch CNA cohort 2. After completing the program and passing the state certification exam, Tia landed a CNA job earning $35 per hour.

CONCLUSION

CoCo Farm’s funding through the City of Antioch Social Equity Program supported a highly successful launch of healthcare careers for local residents. Most of which were Antioch residents and transition-aged youth.

Originally Published By Opportunity Junction