Prospective Students

The Gateway-In Project© assists with:

• Free training for individuals interested in becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant,  Home Health Aide, Activities Professional or  Service Coordinator.
• Expense reimbursement for qualified training-related costs
• Job placement assistance
• Employment incentives*
• Career advancement and continuing education opportunities
• Internships for high school students*

*Note: All training programs under The Gateway-In Project© Health Care Social Worker and The Gateway-In Project© Expansion are not eligible for employment incentives or internships.

Participants must meet the following requirements:

• Must be at least sixteen (16) years of age
• Must have valid identification (a birth certificate, state issued ID, and/or driver’s license) and legal work authorization 
• Social Security card of alternative documentation (ITIN)
• Obtain criminal record clearance with a background check/fingerprinting
• Health clearance by physical examination and negative TB Test Immunization/Health Records
• Able to lift at least 30 lbs and conduct basic duties such as lifting, pulling, reaching, stooping, bending and walking/standing for long periods of time
• Commitment to completing a CDPH (the California Department of Public Health) approved training program
• Commitment to working with the aging population in long-term care for one year (hospital work not applicable)
• COVID vaccination and booster may be required (varies by location)

There are no out-of-pocket fees for students enrolled in a training program. It is completely free as a grant subsidizes this program.

Students can also be reimbursed for qualifying expenses during training such as:

• School-related costs such as uniforms, shoes, textbooks and supplies
• Transportation costs
• Childcare
• Food
• Housing
• ESL services
• Test preparation
• Resume support

Please contact us if you have questions on what qualifies for reimbursement during the training program. 

All students participating in The Gateway-In Project^© must commit to working in a home and community-based provider community for a minimum of one year after they have finished their training. 

The required number of training hours varies depending on the type of training a student wishes to pursue:

• For the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program, it entails a minimum of 60 hours of theoretical instruction and 100 clinical hours of supervised hands-on training.
• For the Certified Home Health Aide (CHHA) program, it involves at least 20 hours of theory and 100 clinical hours of supervised practical training.
• For the Activities Professional or Service Coordinator program, time commitments can range from 6 weeks to 6 months depending on modality, or full-time or part-time schedules. 

It's important to note that in many cases, individuals pursuing the CHHA program may first need to complete the CNA program and then complete an additional 40 hours of training to become a Certified Home Health Aide.

The enrollment process consists of 3 stages:

1. Application Process
2. Screening Process
3. Training Program Matching

Application Process
Interested individuals must submit a completed application to be considered for any of the following training programs:

– Certified Nursing Assistant*
– Home Health Aide*
– Activities Professional
– Services Coordinator

The applications can be found here. Upon receiving an application, our staff will communicate the application status to the applicants via email. It’s important to note that not all applications will be approved, as approvals are contingent on factors such as space availability, training location, and student qualifications.

*Note: There are a few different programs for this training.

Screening Process
Prospective student applications will be reviewed by staff. If the applications meet all the qualifications and there is available space for classes within reasonable travel distance from the applicant’s home, staff will contact students for an interview. In cases where the application falls short of qualifications or if there are no available spaces within the timeframe the student can commit to or in nearby locations, students will be contacted via email and placed on a waiting list. The screening process can take approximately 2-4 weeks, and the duration may vary due to the individual needs and different processes in various training programs.  

Training Program Matching Process
Students who successfully pass the screening process and complete a phone interview will be matched with a training program. Upon enrollment in a training program, students will receive an acceptance letter along with necessary information to begin their course.