August 29, 2022– Pikes Peak State College is now offering several free medical programs, thanks to the new Care Forward Colorado initiative. Created with federal funds directed by the Colorado  Legislature, Care Forward aims to meet the heavy demand for entry-level healthcare positions  and is available at community colleges throughout the state.

 

Students in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), phlebotomy technician, pharmacy technician, medical assisting, and dental assisting programs and others can now get free tuition, fees, books, materials and necessary vaccinations. Any other financial aid could be used on top of that for living expenses, technology needs, or other related costs.

Once they earn their degrees or certificates (some of which, can be completed in a year of less), trainees can begin working in healthcare, continue their education at a local college, or both. In addition to training, students may be connected to an “earn while you learn” opportunity—such as an apprenticeship—that could lead to their first job in healthcare. 

 

Care Forward Colorado is made possible by Senate Bill 22-226, which dedicates $26 million in state recovery dollars to train healthcare workers across Colorado. 

The bill was signed by Gov. Polis in May 2022 and sponsored by Senators Sonya Jacquez Lewis and Bob Rankin and Representative Kyle Mullica. Learn more about the bill. 

To learn more, visit pikespeak.edu/care-forward.

 

“Care Forward is going to make such a difference, both for our depleted healthcare workforce and for the lives of so many students,” said Pikes Peak President Lance Bolton. “These are careers with solid incomes, and the jobs are so mobile. These students can work anywhere.”

Students who are interested in this program at PPSC can contact a  PPSC Financial Aid representative.

About Pikes Peak State College

Established in 1968 and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Pikes Peak State offers associate degrees, certificates in career and technical fields and three bachelors’ degrees. With three campuses, various off-campus locations, two military education centers, and hundreds of online classes, Pikes Peak provides access to a quality, affordable and flexible education to more than 18,000 students annually with both credit and non-credit classes.

The college's Center for Healthcare Education & Simulation is a state-of-the-art educational facility, just north of the Rampart Range Campus, which now houses many of Pikes Peak Health programs. It's designed to put students in simulated hospital rooms or ambulances, where they can experience high-pressure, high-intensity “emergencies” without risking lives. Learn more about the simulation center: pikespeak.edu/simulation-center.