Healthcare Pathway
Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, and Lake counties all share common healthcare challenges and barriers in regards to Healthcare. Beyond the typical challenges being faced by all counties in California, our region faces unique challenges of being rural and isolated. In addition, the prospect of entering the medical field can feel daunting for many students given that healthcare is multi-faceted and the educational pathways vary widely. The goal of this initiative is to reduce the intimidation factor of entering the medical field by defining clear pathways for students to complete their undergraduate degrees and any additional education needed for their career of interest.
Preparation for a Career in Healthcare
Middle School:
- We support middle school students interested in healthcare by offering opportunities for career and college exploration including partnering with campus college and career fairs, arranging trips to college campuses, and arranging guest speakers.
- We hope to be able to utilize californiacolleges.edu in collaboration with school sites to encourage students taking interest inventories to find what career path suits them best.
High School:
- Pathways Facilitators work within school sites to provide the following services:
- Support students and staff to utilize californiacolleges.edu to track A-G progress, college application completion, and FAFSA/CADAA completion.
- Support high school students interested in healthcare by advocating for increased dual enrollment opportunities.
- Support opportunities for certification while in high school
- Collaborate with workforce partners on internship/job opportunities
- Partner with schools to facilitate college and career fairs, arrange trips to college campuses, and provide access to guest speakers
- Support students by connecting them to existing community resources such as TRiO programs, CCRP, and Cal-SOAP to receive college access advising and financial aid advising
- Work to create a variety of Student Journey Maps to help students better understand what their journey through education might look like in various careers.
Post-secondary education:
- Certificate Programs
- College of the Redwoods offering several certificate programs, and they are looking to expand their offerings based on industry need
- Mendocino College also has a wide range of certificate program offerings.
- Avenue M
- Avenue M is a community college to medical school pathway program that aims to reduce barriers to entry to medical and other healthcare careers. UC Davis School of Medicine will partner with three 4-year institutions - UC Davis, California State University (CSU), Sacramento, and Cal Poly Humboldt - and a network of community colleges feeding into them to establish this robust educational ecosystem. Avenue M aims to provide support and mentorship to students from all communities that have been historically excluded in medicine to become physicians.
Healthcare Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA): All counties are designated as HPSAs, indicating shortages of healthcare professionals, including mental health, dental health, and primary care providers.
Mental Health Challenges: Mental health issues are a significant concern in all counties. Del Norte has the highest estimated need for mental health services in the state, and Medicino county has identified mental health issues as one of the most important health problems in the county. Elevated rates of suicides highlight the pressing need for mental health support.
Access to Healthcare Services: Barriers to accessing healthcare services include a lack of healthcare providers, affordable services, and nearby healthcare centers. Residents often face long appointment waiting times and difficulties finding trusted providers.
Primary Care Provider Shortages: Each county experiences shortages of primary care providers, leading residents to travel long distances for basic healthcare services. For example, in Lake county there are only 67 primary care providers per 100,000 people, compared to 104 per 100,000 in the United States.
- Concerns about Healthcare Provider Retention: Frustration is expressed regarding healthcare providers training locally and then leaving, contributing to ongoing shortages and impacting the continuity of care.
- Geographic Isolation: The rural nature of these communities poses challenges in hiring and retaining healthcare professionals, as well as difficulties in transportation for residents seeking medical care. People traveling long distances to appointments may lose an entire day of work, thus affecting wages and family time.
- Emergency Room Utilization: Limited healthcare access prompts residents to turn to emergency rooms for basic services, resulting in extended wait times and increased medical bills. Additionally, the lack of urgent care facilities has been called out repeatedly as a major healthcare access problem.
Cultural and Language Barriers: Barriers related to cultural and language differences make it harder for residents to seek and receive the healthcare they need. There are few treatments that incorporate traditional healing practices.
| Occupation | Projected Employment Change 2028 |
|---|---|
| Physical Therapist Assistants | +33.3% |
| Nurse Practitioners | +50.0% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | +33.3% |
| Maintenance Workers, Machinery | +33.3% |
| Respiratory Therapists | +27.3% |
See Employment Development Department of California
| Occupation | Time Period | Hourly Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatricians, General | 1st Qtr, 2023 | $131.00 |
| Psychiatrists | 1st Qtr, 2023 | $129.63 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1st Qtr, 2023 | $119.59 |
| Chief Executives | 1st Qtr, 2023 | $95.04 |
| Dentists, General | 1st Qtr, 2023 | $92.82 |