The Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities (WORC) in Southeast Missouri project is submitted on behalf of the WORC Network by Great Mines Health Center (applicant ), 1 Southtowne Dr., Potosi, MO 63664-5729, www.gmhcenter.org. Great Mines is a federally qualified health center. Greg Roeback is the Chief Executive Officer and may be reached at groeback@gmhcenter.org. Mr. Kevin Adler, Washington County Ambulance District, is the contracted Project Director. He may be reached at kadler@wcadems.org. The project address two workforce training tracks: Community Paramedicine and Community Health Worker. The target service area is fully rural and includes six counties in Missouri: Iron, Madison, Perry, Reynolds, St. Francois and Washington. WORC is comprised of 13 partners: Great Mines, Central Ozarks Private Industry Council, Central Region Workforce Development Board, Mineral Area College, Meramec Regional Planning Commission, Iron County Medical Center, Iron County Ambulance District, Potosi Correctional Center, Southeast Region Workforce Development Board, St. Francois County Ambulance District, Washington County Ambulance District, Washington County Community Partnership, and Washington County Memorial Hospital. WORC’s funding request over the 3-year period of performance is $1,545,000. WORC’s purpose is to improve workforce shortages in a 6-county economically challenged and underserved Delta region that has tremendous challenges in recruiting/retaining healthcare personnel. WORC will improve workforce capacity by expanding education/training for entry or upward mobility in rural healthcare, focusing on the community paramedicine and community health worker tracks. WORC will improve workforce competitiveness through education and training, job readiness, on-the-job training and clinical rotations; strengthening the region’s workforce infrastructure by incenting participants to progress through specified healthcare workforce career path
s; and increasing community capacity and workforce recruitment and retention through community collaboration and network infrastructure. WORC is confident that supporting local residents in obtaining skills and qualifications needed to address healthcare workforce shortages will be more successful than recruiting and retaining workforce from outside the region. Local residents need employment opportunities and understand the region’s unique needs and challenges. By supporting participants with career development and employment opportunities at a livable wage, this project is a win for economic development and healthcare improvement as much as it is for self-sufficiency of residents. Populations targeted for outreach include: 1) New Entrants - high school seniors or individuals meeting HiSet requirements and individuals seeking community re-entry following incarceration; 2) Dislocated Workers - individuals terminated, laid-off or were self-employed but are now unemployed; and 3) Incumbent Workers- individuals employed but need training to secure full-time employment, advance , or retain current occupations. Great Mines has a wealth of experience serving underserved populations as a federally qualified health center, serving both a medically underserved and health professional shortage area. Great Mines also offers services on a sliding fee schedule. The relationship between Great Mines and the network members is well established and has been in place since June 2021. Members are also engaged in other initiatives, such as the Washington County Rural Health Network and Mobile Integrated Healthcare Network. Great Mines and WORC are requesting funding preference based on qualifications 1 and 3 as Washington County is designated a Health Professional Shortage Area and WORC is focused on primary care, and wellness and prevention strategies. Great Mines Health Center and WORC are also requesting special consideration based on the signed Evidence of Partnership of all
network partners.