Medical Front Office Assistant Program
Submitted By: jaemi naish
Marin County Adult Education Block Grant Consortium
Website: https://sites.google.com/tamdistrict.org/hca-basic/career-pathways
Type of Practice: Learner Transition
Program Area(s): ABE / ASE, ESL / EL Civics / Citizenship, CTE / Workforce Prep / Pre-apprenticeship
Region: Northern California
Consortia Involved: Marin County Adult Education Block Grant Consortium
The Program of Practice
Marin County faces a critical workforce shortage in both home-based caregiving and medical front office positions, exacerbated by an aging population and limited local training opportunities. This gap negatively impacts the quality of life for senior residents and has put a strain on the efficiency of medical practices. How can Tamalpais Adult School in Marin County effectively address the growing demand for qualified caregivers and medical front office professionals?
The Response
We are just getting started! Tamalpais Adult School along with local partners (College of Marin, Dominican University of California, Marin County Office of Education) are working towards creating a robust, local pipeline of trained individuals, including bilingual individuals, to meet the evolving needs of Marin's healthcare sector! Creating and highlighting a clear pathway to expanded postsecondary training for all adult learners interested in medical pathways is a critical area of focus. The first Medical Front Office Assistant cohort was just completed in mid-March. It was a great success. Cohort #2 is planned for May 2025, and again in July 2025.
The Unique Features of the Program
Several unique features that have contributed to the success of the Medical Front Office Assistant class stem from several key components, including strong local partnerships and innovative teaching models. Healthcare Pathways Coordinator, Jessie Morales, a co-teacher with deep industry expertise, secured three new healthcare partnerships to enhance student employment opportunities. Utilizing an I-BEST model, the class combines ESL instruction with postsecondary nursing expertise, catering to high-intermediate level learners. Guest presenters from four prominent Marin County healthcare employers provided valuable insights and participated in a job fair. Students engaged in three offsite training modules, including hands-on experience at Dominican University and College of Marin, and career development at CareerPoint MARIN, the local OneStop Center. Responding to partner feedback, the curriculum emphasized digital literacy through Canvas and Northstar Digital Literacy, facilitated by an OTAN pilot. Chromebooks were provided to students as needed, ensuring equitable access to the course. Funding is braided through CAEP, ELL Healthcare Pathways Grant, WIOA Title II Grant.
The Outcome
16 AE completers, mix of multilingual learners and native English speakers (sharing their feedback)
16 adult learners certified in BLS (Basic Life Support required by healthcare working professionals)
Healthcare providers participated in the job fair and shared their positive feedback on the modules, cohort and course content
Core performance followup planned
Follow up cohort planned - determining who entered into employment, etc.