Marin County Office of Education, Novato Unified School District & By the Bay Health Partner to Address Healthcare Talent Shortage

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. and NOVATO, Calif. and LARKSPUR, Calif., Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Marin County Office of Education (MCOE), the Novato Unified School District (NUSD), and By the Bay Health, Northern California's largest independent nonprofit hospice provider, are joining forces to launch a strategic workforce initiative to address the growing healthcare talent shortage in the County. 

Starting in Spring 2025, MCOE, NUSD, and By the Bay Health will pilot a new Career Technical Education (CTE) course at San Marin High School in Novato to introduce students to healthcare careers. The CTE course, Introduction to the World of Healthcare, will be the first high school course of its kind in the County designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to career opportunities in the healthcare field, including a focus on careers in community-based care in the home. An elective for 11th and 12th grade students, the curriculum will cover a range of topics from healthcare professions to medical ethics, communication, public health, and emerging trends in healthcare. Through hands-on skill practice, role-playing, field trips, and certification opportunities, students will gain real-world insights into the healthcare field. Clinical and non-clinical guest presenters will also share their professional experiences, helping students understand the diverse career paths available and to create an educational glidepath for successful entry into the diverse world of clinical and non-clinical professions in healthcare.

"We are excited to partner with By the Bay Health, one of the most innovative healthcare providers in Marin County, on this critical initiative to develop a thriving healthcare workforce to adequately support our growing community," said John A. Carroll, MCOE Superintendent of Schools. "Introducing students at an earlier age to the diversity of options in the healthcare field is key, and by bringing real-world experience and clinical expertise into the classroom we can expose students to additional career options that will create a tangible impact in our community."

Today's healthcare landscape faces unprecedented staffing challenges and despite Marin County's high average household income, nursing and home health professionals are in short supply. By 2030, California's population of individuals aged 65 and older will reach 9 million, nearly 20 percent of the state's residents. Marin County ranks 13th in the state for this age demographic at 22.3 percent. Following the Covid-19 pandemic's effects on healthcare staffing, the Health Resources and Services Administration predicts nursing shortages through 2036, with California expecting a 26 percent deficit in registered nurses. 

"Our biggest barrier to ensuring access to high quality, accessible care in the home to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse and growing population of children and adults in Marin County is recruiting exceptional talent," said Skelly Wingard, Chief Executive Officer of By the Bay Health. "We are optimistic this partnership with MCOE will inspire more students to join the continuum of care—particularly in areas like home-based palliative care, hospice care, and home health care." 

"The Novato School District is thrilled to be the first in the County to offer this valuable CTE course at San Marin High School," said Dr. Tracy Smith, Superintendent, Novato Unified School District. "Students are hungry for knowledge about careers where they can find meaning and purpose and based on the positive reception to the new course, we're excited to support this initiative to build more interest in growing fields such as healthcare." 

The new educational program at San Marin High School marks the first step in By the Bay Health's Pathways to Care Careers initiative, a public and academic partnership aiming to raise $1 million to develop a skilled, compassionate workforce to serve the North Bay's aging population. The Pathways to Care Careers initiative aims to partner with local community leaders to develop new educational and vocational pathways combined with real-world experiences at the secondary and college levels. For more information, visit https://bythebayhealth.org/50th-anniversary-home/

ABOUT MCOE
Under the leadership of the Marin County Superintendent of Schools, the Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) provides educational programs and services to students, families and school staff countywide. The MCOE collaborates with Marin's 17 school districts to safeguard public funds by providing financial oversight and centralized services at economies of scale in the areas of business, technology, professional development, emergency services, maintenance and operations. www.marinschools.org

ABOUT NUSD
Novato Unified School District (NUSD) has approximately 800 staff members who, along with the larger school community, are responsible for the education of 7,400 students. NUSD has eight elementary schools, including one dual-language immersion, one TK-8 school, two middle schools, and two comprehensive high schools. NUSD also has an Alternative Education Center housing a continuation school and an independent study student program serving grades K-12. All schools within NUSD offer special education services, along with Gifted and Talented Education (GATE), and special assistance is provided for all English learner students. www.nusd.org

ABOUT BY THE BAY HEALTH
For nearly 50 years By the Bay Health, a nonprofit affiliate of UCSF Health, has been a progressive and innovative leader in hospice, skilled home health care, palliative care, grief support, and pediatric care in the counties of Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Sonoma, Alameda, and the cities of American Canyon, Napa, and Vallejo. In January 2024, By the Bay Health merged with Mission Hospice & Home Care and Hope Hospice to extend services into the South Bay and East Bay, becoming the largest independent nonprofit hospice organization in Northern California.  For more information visit www.bythebayhealth.org.

Media Contacts:

Melissa Guerrero
College and Career Readiness
Marin County Office of Education
[email protected]

Leslie Benjamin
Director of Communications & Community Engagement
Novato Unified School District
[email protected]

Caroline Kawashima
Director, Marketing & Communications
By the Bay Health
[email protected]

SOURCE By The Bay Health