Country Place Living Partners with U.S. Department of Labor for Federal Apprenticeship Program in the Assisted Living Industry
IRVING, Texas - September 10, 2008 - Country Place Living, LLC, a national franchisor of assisted living residences, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Labor to be the first company to participate on a nationwide basis in the Health Support Specialist Federal Apprenticeship Program.
The Health Support Specialist Federal Apprenticeship Program will guide Country Place Living employees through a multi-layer education program for certification in the following areas:
- Medical Terminology I
- Environmental Services/OSHA
- Medical Terminology II
- Dietary/Serv-Saf
- Dementia Care
- Person Centered Care
- CPR/First Aid
- Activity Assistant
- Certified Nurse Aide
- Rehabilitative/Restorative Aide
- Certified Medication Aide
"We are honored to be selected by the U.S. Department of Labor for this partnership and the ability to offer our employees the best educational programs in caring for our residents," said Cynthia Gartman, president and COO of Country Place Living. "This program will assist all Country Place Living residences to attract, train and retain the very best people to our growing team."
In efforts to make the apprenticeship program easily accessible to all employees, the program will be offered on an on-line basis with a computer in each Country Place Living residence allowing employees in the program to work on coursework. Local level coordination for the required clinical study will also be available.
"Country Place Living has been granted an unlimited number of scholarships to place any employee at a corporate or franchised location through the program," said Gartman. "And the program can be initiated prior to opening a residence, essentially front-loading the training of new employees for our new locations as we continue to expand across the country."
The first Country Place Living employees to undergo the Health Support Specialist Federal Apprenticeship Program will be identified by the company and begin their training program in the next month.
A member of the International Franchise Association (IFA), Country Place Living plans to expand to more than 400 locations nationwide. Country Place Living has corporate-owned locations throughout Kansas, and is currently selling franchises in rural communities in most states.
