FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
3 May 2022
SOUTH GATE, CA – On Tuesday, May 3, Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44) joined East Los Angeles College (ELAC) South Gate Educational Center students, staff, and faculty, and Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) leadership to celebrate funding for a new Allied Health Training Hub that will serve South East Los Angeles communities. Congresswoman Barragán successfully championed and secured the $925,000 in funding as part of the Community Funded Projects included in the 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act that the President signed into law on March 15, 2022. The Center also received a matching Congressionally-Directed Spending award from Senator Alex Padilla, totaling an $1,850,000 grant award from Congress.
“The future healthcare career training hub at the South Gate campus of East Los Angeles College will provide remarkable hands-on learning for students entering the health industry. Southeast Los Angeles County is disproportionately impacted by air pollution, underemployment, and other social determinants of health. In order to meet the unique public health challenges of South Gate and surrounding areas, we need a workforce that is representative of our community. That is why I am honored to support this vitally important project in my district,” said Rep. Barragán.
The funds will allow the ELAC South Gate Campus to develop a comprehensive training hub with a focus on allied health careers. This project will also establish curriculum, train students, provide necessary instructional equipment, and acquire a modular classroom with laboratory capabilities where instruction can occur. South Gate students will obtain job skills that prepare them for employment in the healthcare industry, as well as opportunities for work experience through connections to internships and apprenticeships in allied health fields. In addition, the project will also implement a health and wellness campaign to inform the community about healthy behaviors and the benefits of health careers.
“We want to thank Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán for her tireless advocacy for our students. This Congressional Project Funding is transformative and will make a world of difference for our neediest students,” said LACCD Board President Gabriel Buelna. “This funding will enable LACCD to increase the number of health professionals that are linguistically and culturally competent in the South Gate community and in the greater Los Angeles County region.”
ELAC South Gate Center Allied Health Hub will build socioeconomic mobility of residents of South Gate and the greater Southeast Los Angeles community. The Hub will concentrate its efforts in the following three areas:
- Increase high Quality training that leads to stackable and industry recognized certificates, credentials and degrees;
- Bolster partnerships in the community that lead to internships, apprenticeships, and employment in the community; and,
- Build and strengthen community awareness and outreach efforts focusing on health and wellness initiatives.
“I am thrilled that the Allied Health Training Hub will develop a Health and Wellness Community Outreach Worker Certificate,” said LACCD Board Vice President, David Vela. “These Community Health Workers or ‘Promotoras’ will be at the forefront of providing ongoing health and wellness community awareness campaigns, on health issues impacting the community.”
“Congresswoman Nannette Barragán continues to provide unwavering leadership and support to the nation’s most under-resourced communities,” said Chancellor Francisco C. Rodriguez, Ph.D. “This project serves as a mechanism to build community wealth and viability, by investing in student training, employment, and community wellbeing. This level of community investment accelerates the social and economic mobility of South Gate residents, by providing training to high growth jobs, thereby closing opportunity and income disparities.”
The South Gate Center currently graduates approximately 30 students every year in the allied health professions. Based on historical data for past years, the number of completions has increased by ten to twenty percent (10-20%) annually. This program will enable the Center to double the number of completions year over year. In addition, the funding will enable the Center to install a modular “wet lab” to support current course work requirements and install necessary tools and equipment to improve teaching and learning.
“This allied health hub will be of tremendous value to our students in the South Gate area. The training and classroom enhancements of this project will ensure that ELAC continues to increase opportunities to produce the best health care workers in South East Los Angeles,” said ELAC President Alberto J. Roman.
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Congresswoman Barragán represents California’s 44th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Carson, Compton, Florence-Firestone, Lynwood, North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, San Pedro, South Gate, Walnut Park, Watts, Willowbrook and Wilmington. She serves as chairwoman of the U.S. House Homeland Border Security Subcommittee.