Prospective Students

The Gateway-In Project© assists with:

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

Participants must meet the following requirements:

• Commitment to working with the aging population in long-term care for 1 year (not hospital work).
• Applicants must apply through The Gateway-In Project© application form on the LeadingAge CA website. This must be reviewed and approved by The Gateway-In Project © staff.
• Phone interview completed by a member of The Gateway-In Project© staff.
• Student agreement form must be signed as part of the approval process. This form does not mean you are accepted unless you have completed your phone interview.
• Approved candidates must remain in communication with The Gateway-In Project© staff 1 year after they are certified (at minimum).
• At least (16) years of age.  Valid Identification: Birth Certificate, State Issues ID, and/or Driver’s License.
• Commitment to completing a CDPH (the California Department of Public Health) approved training program.
• Obtain criminal record clearance: Background check/fingerprinting.
• COVID-19 Vaccination and Booster may be required (varies by location).
• Health clearance by physical examination and negative TB Test Immunization/Health Records.
• Social Security card of alternative documentation (ITIN).

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. Incentive bonuses for employment are offered at the 1st, 6th, and 12th months for those who remain actively employed following the completion of the training program.

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.

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 a CNA and/or HHA training program. The application can be found here. Once an application has been received, our staff will contact applicants by email with a student information packet and schedule a day and time to move forward with the screening process.

Screening Process
Prospective students will be interviewed by phone to verify information, interest, commitment and employment expectations. Information will also be collected to assist in matching with training programs based on the student's location, needs, learning style and accommodations. The screening process can take approximately 2-4 weeks and will vary as individual needs and training programs have different processes. 

Training Program Matching Process
Students who have completed the screening process and are eligible for training will be matched with partnering training program options. Once a training program has been selected, the student will receive all training documentation including a checklist, handbook and acceptance letter.