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"Grow Your Own" Health Workforce Projects
Growing Local: Training the Next Generation of Rural Healthcare Workers
Rural communities across the Redwood Region face persistent healthcare workforce shortages — a challenge that won't be solved by recruiting from outside alone. The Healthcare Education and Regional Training (HEART) Hub takes a different approach: growing a skilled, locally rooted health workforce from the ground up, starting with elementary school students and continuing through adult certification programs.
Healthcare Education and Regional Training Hub (HEART Hub)
Led by Lake County Economic Development Corporation | Collaborators: Adventist Health, Sutter Health, Lake County Government, Lake County Office of Education, Lake County Tribal Health Consortium, Mendocino-Lake Community College District, Sonoma State University, Redwood Coast K-16 Educational Collaborative, Partnership HealthPlan of California, Workforce Alliance of the North Bay, and others
Lake County faces some of the most acute healthcare workforce shortages in the region — and the communities of Lake and Mendocino Counties have long been underserved by a healthcare system that struggles to recruit and retain professionals in rural areas. The HEART Hub addresses this directly by building a comprehensive, community-based pipeline that cultivates interest in healthcare careers, develops skilled professionals, and empowers communities with essential health knowledge — from elementary school through adulthood.
The Hub operates through three interconnected initiatives. The SPARK Program (Students Promoting Awareness of Real-World Knowledge) introduces 4,500–6,000 students in grades 4–8 to healthcare careers each year through hands-on simulations, guided tours, and mentorship from healthcare professionals and high school ambassadors — fostering early interest while ensuring equitable access. The Healthcare Career Development Pathway provides certification training for high school students and adults, including Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Medical Assistant (MA), EMT, and Patient Care programs, while offering professional development for current practitioners. The Community Outreach Program rounds out the model by enhancing health literacy through culturally relevant programming — CPR training, parenting classes, public health seminars — while providing collaboration space for industry partners and advancing community-led solutions for childcare and health equity.
Together, these initiatives create a transformative infrastructure for healthcare education that strengthens Lake County's healthcare system and promotes wellness equity throughout the region.
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Key Updates
HEART Hub partners developed healthcare curricula, built out career pathways, selected an architect (William Fisher Architecture), and initiated facility design and site improvements including HVAC, roof, and parking lot work. The Hub secured K-16 funding for student outreach in partnership with Sonoma State University, launched its website, and began employer engagement with support from Workforce SIC Capitol Impact. A regional Clinical Placement Consortium was launched to expand rural healthcare workforce capacity, and partners are pursuing approximately $700,000 in equipment funding for the future simulation center — moving the project from concept into facility development. An additional $500,000 in capital was secured, bringing the project closer to full implementation. For the latest, follow HEART Hub.
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