Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
1. What is the
Puget Sound Welcome Back Center?
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The
Puget Sound Welcome Back Center (formerly Gateway Center) is designed to build a bridge between the pool of
internationally-trained health professionals residing in Washington
and the severe shortage of linguistically and culturally competent
health care professionals in underserved communities.
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The Center,
hosted at Highline Community College, will work with healthcare,
education, and agency partners to assist health professionals from
all over the world who have come to Washington and have not been
able to re-enter their professions because of difficulties in
navigating the credentialing process.
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The Center has received start-up funding through
grants from BuRSST for Prosperity
and the State Board for Community
and Technical Colleges (SBCTC).
2. What services are offered at the Puget Sound Welcome Back
Center?
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The Center will provide individualized orientation,
counseling, and support to internationally trained health workers.
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The Center
offers free classes and workshops. Examples are Communication in
Health Care, Interviewing for Healthcare Jobs, Nurses' Support
Groups, Pronunciation Labs
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The Center will assist each participant in developing a career path
plan that builds on each participant's skills, experience, and
education.
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In addition to orientation and support in obtaining the
appropriate professional credentials and licenses for their
profession, participants will be presented with other options or
alternatives to consider. These options may include choosing a
different health occupation offered through a community college or
university or focusing their skills and experience in the areas of
health care management, research, advocacy, or policy.
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The Center will provide career-guidance courses and, where
appropriate, technical courses to address skills gaps.
Contextualized ESL courses will be offered to help
participants to improve their English proficiency, as needed.
3. Who is eligible for these services?
Internationally-trained health workers currently residing in
Washington
are eligible for the program. The program does not have the capacity
to serve individuals residing outside of Washington.
Individuals residing outside the United States
are not eligible for the program.
4. Is the Center a new idea?
No. This Highline Community College initiative has been planned in partnership
with the California Welcome Back Initiative started in San Francisco
in 2001. www.welcomebackinitiative.org
The Welcome
Back Center,
now in five states
—
California, Washington, Massachusetts and Rhode Island
—
has developed a well-established model for this work. Centers in
Colorado and Texas are scheduled to open Summer '09.
5. Does the
Center assist
all health professionals?
Yes. The Center provides services to all eligible health
professionals. This includes nurses, pharmacists, doctors, speech
therapists, occupational therapists, laboratory and other
technicians, psychologists, dentists, social workers, health
educators, and many others.
6. What about individuals who have credentials in other
fields outside healthcare?
The college’s vision is to expand the Center’s services so
that, eventually, it will provide support to individuals in a wide
variety of fields — education, engineering, science and technology,
and others. However,
the initiative will start with healthcare and it may be several
years before the mission can be expanded.
7. Does the
Center offer
educational scholarships?
No. The Center does not receive funding to provide
educational scholarships; however, an Educational Case
Manager will help link participants to college and universities'
financial aid offices.
8. Does the
Center offer
professional licenses?
No. Each participant will have to follow existing licensing
procedures for his or her associated profession. The Center provides
orientation about existing licensing procedures. (In some instances,
the Center will provide license exam preparation materials to
participants.)
9. Does the
Center offer
job placement?
No. The Center does not directly find jobs for participants;
however, a job announcement binder will be available to share
information with participants about job opportunities upon
notification by potential employers and other agencies.
The Center will also work with healthcare and agency partners
who specialize in job placement.
10. When will the
Center open?
The Center is scheduled to start serving participants October 2008.
For the pilot year of the program, Sept 2008 – Sept 2009,
there will be a limited number of participants.
11. Who can answer questions about the
Center?
Call Puget Sound Welcome Back Center hosted by
Highline Community College, at 206-878-3710 ext. 3345 or email
welcomeback@highline.edu
The
Center
does not have the capacity to respond to inquiries
outside of the United States.
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