Nursing students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic will now have access to new financial support.
Governor Brian Kemp has announced a new program through the Governors Emergency Education Relief Program. The new program will provide more than $800,000 for a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Pilot Program.
"Here in Georgia, we are committed to meeting the needs of our young people as they prepare to enter our world-class workforce following years of pandemic disruptions," said Kemp.
"We are excited to see how this program will make a difference in their lives as it also helps us fulfill a critical workforce need."
The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Pilot Program will receive $843,000 to allow for 500 current Dual-Enrollment High School students whose schedules have been impacted by the pandemic to maintain their path toward an on-time high school graduation.
Students across 10 Georgia College and Career Academy sites will be eligible for a grant to cover the cost of achieving a Nurse Aid Technical College Certificate (TCC).
Those students will be able to accelerate their intended Technical College program at the same time, so programs can run simultaneously.
This will include in-person clinical training through partnering healthcare systems. Also, half of those students will be able to acquire an additional Geriatric Care TCC.
All 500 students will accomplish these certifications while remaining on track to complete their High School Diploma on time.
The grant also covers the cost of the CNA examination, which is mandatory before the individual can begin working in that field.
Due to the pandemic, educational pathways of many of these students saw disruption, including a halt in clinical rotations required to complete one’s CNA.
The structure of the pilot program allows them to get back on track and gain the support needed to overcome the loss of workplace opportunities that might otherwise have helped to fund their educational pathways.
In summary, 500 students will achieve their High School Diploma on time, achieve a TCC in Nursing Aide (CN21) at a College & Career Academy with clinical learning, experiential training, and internships at a partnering healthcare system, and have their CNA examination test fee covered.
Half of the 500 students will also achieve an additional TCC in Geriatric Care (GC51) to be able to work at assisted living facilities.
Student funding through the Emergency Education Relief Fund
The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSA), became law on December 27, 2020. This Act provides funding to supplement the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund awarded to each state under the previous CARES Act.
Additionally, this Act provided for the transfer of remaining Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools (EANS) funding to the Governor’s Office for designation of allowable use under GEER requirements.
GEER funding is awarded for the purpose of providing local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and other education-related entities with emergency assistance in response to COVID-19.
The total of additional funding available to award is $59.7 million. More awards will be announced in the coming months.
More about the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund can be found here.