Grant investment will expand Medical Assistant capacity, healthcare certifications, work-based learning, and regional employer partnerships.
UNION CITY — Randolph Eastern School Corporation (RESC) and the RAZ-32 regional partnership have received funding through the Indiana Rural Health Transformation Program's Growing Rural Opportunities for Well-being (GROW) Regional Grants to expand healthcare education and workforce opportunities for high school students.
The investment will increase the number of students who can participate in the RAZ-32 Medical Assistant pathway and strengthen access to high-quality healthcare training that leads to credentials of value. Students will have expanded opportunities to earn Ivy Tech short-term and long-term certificates along with industry-recognized certifications while still in high school.
“Indiana’s rural communities need a strong healthcare workforce, and that starts with giving students opportunities to prepare for those careers close to home. This investment will help students gain hands-on experience and connect with employers, creating a stronger pipeline of skilled healthcare workers for communities across rural Indiana.” |
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This grant will also support expanded training and certification opportunities in EKG, phlebotomy, and medical office roles, including clerical and administrative healthcare support positions. Together, these options will create additional entry points for students interested in healthcare while helping the region develop a stronger pipeline of skilled workers.
"This investment is about creating opportunities for students while helping address real workforce needs in our rural communities. Our students should not be limited by their ZIP code. Through strong partnerships among schools, healthcare providers, higher education, and our communities, we can create pathways that lead to meaningful careers while helping build the workforce our region needs." — Mr. Neal Adams, Superintendent, Randolph Eastern School Corporation |
Connecting Students with Employers
A major focus of the project will be developing new local and regional work-based learning and apprenticeship partnerships with healthcare providers. RAZ-32 will work with employers to create additional student placements and help participating organizations identify opportunities to use EARN Indiana or Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) resources, when eligible, to help offset wage costs for paid student experiences.
These partnerships connect classroom learning with authentic healthcare settings, allowing students to build technical skills, professionalism, communication, and confidence while employers help shape and strengthen the future workforce.
Part of a Larger Investment in Rural Indiana
The RESC and RAZ-32 project is part of a larger statewide effort to strengthen rural healthcare. Approximately 1 in 5 Hoosiers live in a rural community. Indiana's Rural Health Transformation Program is supported by nearly $207 million in federal funding for the 2026-2027 year through the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
About 60% of Indiana RHTP funding focuses on the GROW initiative, which helps rural communities identify and address the most significant healthcare needs in their regions. The five-year RHTP initiative focuses on innovation, strategic partnerships, infrastructure development, and workforce investment.
Building a Sustainable Healthcare Pathway
RAZ-32 is committed to sustaining the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) pathway beyond the Indiana Rural Health Transformation funding period through a diversified funding strategy. Ongoing support will include annual state Career and Technical Education reimbursement based on student enrollment and participation in high-demand pathways such as healthcare.
The consortium also plans to align the pathway with Indiana's new K-12 diploma funding structure, including performance-based opportunities tied to students earning Employment Honors, Employment Honors Plus, and Enrollment Honors Plus seals. RAZ-32's regional shared-cost model will continue to support student services, program coordination, and pathway implementation, while the consortium will also pursue additional grant, foundation, and employer partnership opportunities.
Through this approach, RESC and RAZ-32 aim to build a long-term healthcare talent pipeline that gives rural students greater access to college credit, credentials, apprenticeships, and careers while helping healthcare employers develop the workforce needed to serve communities across the region.
About RAZ-32
RAZ-32 is a regional collaboration that expands access to career and technical education, work-based learning, and high-quality career pathways for students in rural Indiana. By sharing programs, resources, instructors, and partnerships, participating schools work together to provide students with opportunities that may be difficult for a single district to offer independently.
This Rural Health Transformation Program is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $206,927,896.80 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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