Carroll, Howard, Frederick Community Colleges Partner in Health Care Education

Carroll, Howard and Frederick Community Colleges have pulled together $4 million, with the help of the federal government, to build the Mount Airy College Center for Health Care Education. 

Dozens of people from the three community colleges, as well as senators and supporters, braved torrential downpours Monday afternoon to be a part of the ground breaking.

According to a news release, the three community colleges are building on an existing academic agreement to enhance student access to workforce education programs. The colleges are limited in their ability to offer certain health care education curricula because of campus space limitations, so the centrally located Mount Airy College Center will allow all three schools to offer state-of-the-art healthcare education.

"Mt. Airy is an ideal location because of its growing population and its proximity to all three colleges, making the center convenient for students,” said Carroll Community College President Dr. Faye Pappalardo. “We hope to serve as many students as we can from the three counties, with affordable and flexible programs.”

The colleges will lease 15,750 square feet of the 24,000-square-foot facility. The space includes three classrooms; one respiratory/emergency medical services laboratory; one micro laboratory; one computer laboratory; one multi-purpose allied health laboratory; one biology laboratory; and faculty/staff offices and storage.

The cost of the project is approximately $4 million. Funding includes federal grants and community college appropriations. In May 2010, Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin presented the colleges with $1 million toward the cost of the project, which was made possible through an omnibus appropriations measure that passed Congress. The colleges are seeking additional funds to supplement the Congressional federal funds.

“This is about jobs, jobs, jobs. It’s about giving people the tools they need to keep the jobs they have and it’s about preparing people for jobs that are available in Maryland today,” Mikulski said in a news release.

“With these funds, Frederick, Howard and Carroll Community Colleges will train a new pipeline of workers to fill jobs in health care fields that are needed now and will be needed even more in the future. This is a win-win opportunity to help save lives, and transform lives and communities."

The center, which is expected to open in the fall of 2012, will offer both credit degree programs and certificates. It will also provide non-credit and continuing education allied health certifications, according to the news release.

The following will be available in the new facility:

Credit Programs

Health Information Technology, A.A.S. and Certificate: Carroll Community College

Medical Laboratory Technology, A.A.S; Respiratory Care, AAS: Frederick Community College

Emergency Medical Technology/Paramedic, A.A.S. and Certificate: Howard Community College

Non-Credit Programs

RN Refresher, Dental Assisting, Medical Billing, Medical Coding, Phlebotomy: Carroll Community College

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Medicine Aid, Pharmacy Technician: Frederick Community College

Certified Nurse Assistant (C.N.A.), Patient Care Technologist, EKG Technician: Howard Community College

Assisted Living Management: Carroll, Frederick and Howard Community Colleges