Walters State Community College receives funding to offer free tuition for select allied health students

Walters State Community College has been granted funding through a Tennessee Department of Labor Rural Health Workforce Initiative that will pay for the tuition of the first six students to register for its allied health programs offered via the college’s Division of Workforce Training. In addition to the tuition funding, students who take advantage of this opportunity will also receive free workforce development courses.

According to an article on Walters State Community College’s website, the courses that are available for free tuition under the grant include Clinical Medical Assistant, Certified Nursing Assistant, Direct Support Professional, and Registered Behavior Technician. These courses are offered via the school’s Division of Workforce Training, and therefore require no prerequisites or placement scores.

At the college’s Morristown Campus, the Clinical Medical Assistant program will be offered from September 2 to February 5. Students will learn how to effectively assist physicians in a medical office setting by learning fundamental skills and topics like taking vital signs, medication dosages, phlebotomy, preparing patients for treatment, and the legal aspects of healthcare. For students who are not part of the first six to register for the program, the cost is $3,000.

The Certified Nursing Assistant program will be available at both the Niswonger Campus and in Sneedville. At both campuses, the cost of the program for those who do not qualify for free tuition is $899. At the Niswonger Campus, the program runs from August 12 to November 13, and in Sneedville, it runs from September 9 to November 20. Students who participate in the program may become licensed CNAs in Tennessee, following successful program completion and satisfying testing requirements. Students will learn basic and routine patient care, how to take and document vital signs, and how to report patient symptoms. The program includes 35 hours of supervised work in a long-term patient care facility. 

The college’s online options that can be covered by the tuition grant include Direct Support Professional and Registered Behavior Technician. The Direct Support Professional program helps students earn certifications DSP-1, DSP-2 and DSP 3, as well as a credential. This program costs $4,000 for students who aren’t eligible for the tuition grant. The Registered Behavior Technician program, which costs $2,700 normally, prepares individuals to work in a clinical setting to help develop treatment plans for children with disorders such as autism and adults with developmental disorders.

The first six students who register receive both the tuition grant as well as free professional development courses: American Heart Association basic life support, Workforce Readiness, Life Mapping, and Mind Matters.

Interested students must contact Linda.Nelms@ws.edu or Kristy.Parkins@ws.edu in order to enroll. Any student who has already enrolled may be eligible for a tuition refund if they were among the first six students.

For more information about Walters State Community College, visit the school’s website.