RECRUITING, TRAINING, AND HIRING CNAs FOR ALASKA
The Alaska Hospital & Healthcare Association (AHHA) is committed to working alongside our member hospitals and nursing homes to tackle the growing shortage of Certified Nursing Aide (CNAs) across the state. This page contains program information, tools, and resources to support you in efforts to recruit, train, and hire CNAs for your facility. If you have questions or need further support, please contact Sara Bloom, AHHA's Office Manager, at sbloom@alaskahha.org.
State Training & Employment Program (STEP)
CNA Training Funding Guidelines
About the funding
The Alaska Hospital & Healthcare Association (AHHA) received another year of STEP funding from the State of Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development for the purpose of training people to become Certified Nursing Aides (CNAs) between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.
AHHA encourages participating facilities to utilize the “employment first” model by hiring trainees in a non-licensed role and paying them for work and training hours while they complete CNA training, although wages to a trainee are not eligible expenses for reimbursement. The facility must provide a state-approved CNA training program, either in-house or through an outside training program. Upon the completion of the course, the trainee should be supported in registering for and completing the CNA exam. The grant will reimburse up to $3,000 of eligible expenses per participating trainee.
Changes from SFY2023
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As of July 1, 2023, AHHA’s funding can support 6 trainees per participating facility, at a maximum of $3,000 per student.
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Wages paid to a trainee for work or training hours are no longer an eligible reimbursable expense.
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AHHA will assess training and reimbursement data in January 2024, and may determine that sites with capacity and interest can be allotted additional funds to train more people, as it is our intent to have as many CNAs trained as possible and to expend the full amount of STEP funding before June 30.
Eligible Expenses
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CNA Coordinator’s time (per student cost) to support trainees
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Cost of CNA training (expenses related to training in-house or tuition paid to an external program)
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Training supplies (stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, etc.)
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Training textbook/workbooks
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BLS/CPR training costs
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Background check/fingerprinting/drug screen fees
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Certification exam fees/certification fees
Requirements of Participation
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Submit a Facility Participation form (click here to download the fillable form.)
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Recruit CNA trainees. AHHA strongly encourages facilities to employ trainees in non-licensed, paid positions during training.
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Submit a Department of Labor STEP Participation Form for each CNA trainee (click here to download the form.)
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Complete a CNA Reimbursement Request online for each trainee indicating expenses and progress.
Note: Funding is not contingent upon CNA trainees passing the certification exam, however AHHA expects that employers will do everything possible to support trainees in the process of completing training, applying for certification, and passing the exam.
The State Training and Employment Program (STEP) is administered by the Alaska Department of Labor and
Workforce Development, Alaska Workforce Investment Board (AWIB) and funded by a set-aside from the
Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. The purpose of STEP is to enhance the quality and make Alaska job
training and employment assistance easily available to employers, employees, and future workers.
This "CNA Earn & Learn" project is STEP funded at 100%.
Marketing Resources for Facilities
We encourage facilities to join us in sharing messaging and take part in the campaign to reach people who may be interested in becoming a CNA. You can support the campaign by encouraging testimonials for #CNAchampions, and using the pre-designed flyers, graphics, and social media posts across your platforms.
If you have questions or any difficulty accessing the files, please contact Jann Mylet at jmylet@alaskahha.org.
Promotional Flyers
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Download a general flyer promoting the CNA role with a link to this alaskacna.org site - not specific to any facility or program.
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Download a template you can tailor for your facility to use in recruitment.
CNA Champions
We are looking for CNAs and healthcare professionals to share their testimonials about the important work CNAs do in Alaska. You can help Champion CNAs by encouraging your staff to participate with our quick online form, found here. Quotes and photos will be shared on our website and across our social media channels to celebrate our healthcare heroes.
Social Media Posts
You can download the images in the gallery below to share on instagram or facebook with one of these sample messages:
Message # 1:
Interested in a rewarding career in healthcare? Become a Certified Nurse Aide today and get paid while you complete training. Visit AlaskaCNA.org for more info and to find open positions. #alaskanurse #cna #nursingschool #alaskahealthcare
Message #2:
Fast-track your career in healthcare. Become a Certified Nurse Aide today! Visit AlaskaCNA.org for more info and to find open positions. #alaskanurse #cna #nursingschool #alaskahealthcare #certifiednurseaide
Message #3:
Want a career in healthcare but don’t know where to start? Become a Certified Nurse Aide today and get paid on-the-job training. Visit AlaskaCNA.org for more info! #alaskanurse #cna #nursingschool #alaskahealthcare #certifiednurseaide
Message #4:
Get Paid to Train - For a limited time you can get paid while you complete training to become a CNA. Visit AlaskaCNA.org for more info! #alaskanurse #cna #nursingschool #alaskahealthcare #certifiednurseaide











