High School Healthcare Certifications
Expanding high school students’ access to healthcare certifications.
The Bower Foundation has a strong commitment to supporting the healthcare workforce in Mississippi. As a part of that commitment, we want to leverage healthcare certification opportunities available to high school students through two grant opportunities:
Health Science CNA
Health Science is a two-year skills program through the Mississippi Department of Education that introduces students to health careers, the basic health sciences, and basic health career skills. In year one, students learn about basic health care skills, legal and ethical health issues, medical terminology, body systems, and health care career possibilities.
The Bower Foundation is working with Health Science programs across the state to assist in becoming state-approved nurse aide training programs (NATP). This would allow Health Science students to become Certified Nurse Aides (CNA) while attending high school.
Click here for essential information and requirements to become a NATP.
The Bower Foundation has a strong commitment to supporting the healthcare workforce in Mississippi. As a part of that commitment, we want to leverage healthcare certification opportunities available to Health Science students. From our research and working through a pilot grant, we discovered the connection to the CNA certification from the Health Science curriculum that is already being instructed. The gap we are assisting to fill is assisting the school in becoming a state approved nurse aide training program (NATP) through the MS Department of Health. This will allow Health Science students the opportunity to sit for their CNA certification if they so choose. The Bower Foundation will offer support by:
- Assistance completing the NATP application and MSDH required documents:
- Training schedule
- Instructor license verification
- Supply list
- Student certificate
- Skills check off list
- Contract or MOU with long term care facility or hospital for clinical training
- Nurse aide handbook acknowledgement
- Purchasing (or updating) needed supplies from MSDH supply list (up to $2,500)- school will sign of deed of gift for these items as we will purchase and have shipped to school
- Be a liaison to the MSDH CNA Program Coordinator and Headmaster (CNA testing vendor)
- Assistance in application to Headmaster to become an approved in-facility testing site- this allows your students to take their written and skills CNA exam in your classroom and skills lab
- Access to a contracted subject matter expert who has been a Mississippi approved NATP Health Science program for 17 years
We are excited to share that we have recently approved funds to open this grant to 12 new Health Science programs in Mississippi for 2025. There is specific criteria that the MS Department of Health provides on who can instruct an NATP. This includes:
- Instructor must be an RN with at least 2 years of experience
- Must have at least one year of experience in a long-term care facility
- School must have a signed agreement with long term care facility for students to complete 16 hours of clinicals
Please reach out if you have any questions.
Amy Swales
amyswales@bowerfoundation.org
If your program is interested, please submit your information here.
MS High School Student Healthcare Certification Exam Fee
Students who are obtaining a healthcare certification at their high school or career technical center may qualify to have the cost of their healthcare certification exam fee covered. These certifications include:
- Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Electrocardiogram (EKG) Technician
- Medical Assistant
- Pharmacy Technician
- Phlebotomy Technician
Click here for essential information and requirements to have certification exam fees covered.
The Bower Foundation Board of Directors approved a grant to cover the certification exam fee for Mississippi public high school students who are obtaining an industry recognized healthcare certification. These certifications include:
- Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Electrocardiogram (EKG) Technician
- Medical Assistant
- Pharmacy Technician
- Phlebotomy Technician
Requirements include:
- Student must be enrolled at a MS public school
- Student must have successfully completed corresponding healthcare course at their school or career technical center
- The Bower Foundation will pay exam fee once per student
- The exam fee is not already covered by another funding source
- Deidentified student exam outcome provided to The Bower Foundation
These funds are limited and can be applied for by the teacher, principal or director.
School faculty and administrators can submit a request here.