The Caregiving Workforce Development class is a three-month training program that prepares participants to become certified Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) in Ohio. Many of the students bring extensive healthcare experience from their home countries, but lack the licensing or credentials to continue in the same field in the U.S.

Through a combination of self-paced online coursework, in-person practical training, and job readiness coaching, this program helps students re-enter the healthcare workforce with dignity and purpose. Each student earns American Red Cross First Aid certification and receives hands-on instruction from professionals on how to administer injections, sort medications, and safely use essential equipment such as lifts, wheelchairs, and transfer belts.

The program is a collaboration with Rising Heights, a nonprofit that provides affordable integrated housing and care for neurodiverse individuals and their families. Designed specifically for newcomers who are building their lives in the U.S., the class equips students with the skills and credentials needed to work as personal homecare aides for adults or children with disabilities.