Executive Summary

The mission of Rhode Island Allied Health & Safety Institute (RIAHSI) is to provide high quality, convenient and best comprehensive nursing/allied preparatory education courses at the lowest cost.

Thus, omnis scientia a deo venit and Docendo discimus, Latin proverb meaning "all knowledge comes from God and by teaching, we learn."

Healthcare facilities across the North Eastern United States are facing critical staffing shortages, particularly in nursing assistant roles. To address this urgent need, we propose the "100 Nursing Assistants in 100 Days" program—a fast-track recruitment, training, and deployment initiative aimed at onboarding 100 qualified nursing assistants within 100 days.

The “100 Nursing Assistants in 100 Days” program is a bold and urgent initiative designed to expand Rhode Island’s healthcare workforce by rapidly recruiting, training, and deploying 100 qualified Nursing Assistants within 100 days. This program is on-going and directly aligns with the RI Allied Health & Safety Institute Workforce Development Fund’s mission to support individuals—especially those from low-income backgrounds—seeking to enter or advance within the healthcare field with reduced tuition fee support; books and workbooks purchases; and, or certification examination fee (total value of $165.00) support. By focusing on underserved communities and addressing critical gaps in care, this initiative will strengthen the state’s healthcare infrastructure, directly improve residents/patients care and alleviate the burden on existing healthcare staff, ensuring better outcomes for all, especially the underserved communities and the vulnerable populations.

Organizational Background

RI Allied Health & Safety Institute (RIAHSI) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable, trainings, educational, community-based wellness learning organization, owned and operated by Ada Ezeama, located in Providence, Rhode Island. Rhode Island Allied Health & Safety Institute is dedicated to excellence in allied health and entry-level nursing education. RIAHSI opened its doors to prospective students on April 12, 2012, and was licensed by RI Department of Health.

Licenses: Virtual Hybrid/In-person license number: NATP 00119 Full On-Line Hybrid license number: NATP 00165. Training Format: Online hybrid, Virtual Hybrid and In-person classes.

Over the years, we have success we focus on education, job skills training, entrepreneurship, healthcare workforce training and development. Since 2012, RI Allied Health & Safety Institute (RIAHSI) has successfully certified over 1200 nursing assistants with 100s going on to become nurses, nurse practitioners and two doctors. We assist our graduates with job placement at the hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and rehabilitation centers.

Program Objectives

We are currently running unique Initiative: On-going “100 CNAs in 100 Days” workforce training program to

Recruit and enroll 100 candidates on on-going basis from low-income and underserved communities across Rhode Island.
Provide scholarships - reduced tuition fee, support and, assist with certification examination fee (total value of $165.00) support for our state-approved Nursing Assistant training program.
Offer wraparound support services including transportation, childcare, career coaching and resume writing.
Facilitate state certification and job placement within 100 days and create a replicable model for future workforce expansion in allied health fields.

The success of this initiative will also assist RI Allied Health & Safety Institute in acquisition of a permanent home building, which aligns with our long-term vision to have our own school building and to become a nursing assistant NATCEP Testing Center and serve our students and community at large. The proposed building will serve as our school central campus, main educational and skill center. It will feature key amenities, such as, skills simulation labs, meeting spaces, study and mid-size library/resource room, events center, training areas and classrooms, community outreach services, etc. The facility will allow us to enhance our healthcare workforce students learning and trainings and, expand our community health education health fair and resource management services.

Target Population

Individuals living with low income
Unemployed or underemployed adults
Residents of medically underserved areas
People seeking career advancement in healthcare
Diverse populations including immigrants, people of color, and non-traditional students

Program Components

1. Recruitment & Outreach

Partner with community organizations, housing authorities, and local clinics
Host information sessions and career fairs
Launch a digital and print media campaign targeting underserved zip codes

2. Training & Certification

Enroll participants in accredited Nursing Assistant programs
Cover tuition, fees, uniforms, and exam costs
Provide flexible scheduling options (evenings/weekends)

3. Support Services

Transportation stipends or shuttle service
On-site or subsidized childcare
Mentorship and peer support groups
Career readiness workshops (resume writing, interview prep)

4. Job Placement & Retention

Partner with hospitals, nursing homes, and home health agencies
Guarantee interviews upon certification
Offer retention bonuses and continuing education pathways

Expected Outcomes for the 100 Day

Outcome	Target
Nursing Assistants recruited	100
Participants completing training	≥90%
Participants obtaining certification	≥85%
Participants placed in jobs	≥85%
Retention after 6 months	≥85%

Budget Breakdown

Category	Estimated Cost
Recruitment, Marketing and Outreach	$10000.00
Nursing Assistant Licensing Certification Exam Fee per 100 students at $165 per student \|	$16,500.00
Tuition and Support	$139,900.00
Miscellaneous Costs, Books, Uniform, License Fees,	$13,000.00
Total Requested	$180,000.00

Timeline, Evaluation & Reporting

Days 1–30: Recruitment and enrollment.
Days 31–60: Training and certification per Rhode Island Department of Health approved RI Allied Health & Safety Curriculum.
Days 61–100: Placement and onboard

Evaluation & Reporting

We will track progress using:

Enrollment and completion data
Certification exam passes rates
Employment and retention metrics
Participant feedback surveys
Quarterly reports to the RI Allied Health & Safety Institute

Overall, the program’s success will be measured by:

The number of nursing assistants trained, successfully passed the NATCEP Examination, and employed within the 100-day period.
Feedback from healthcare facilities on performance and impact and reduction in patient/residents care delays and improvement in staff retention rates.

Sustainability Plan

To ensure long-term success, we have developed strategies that includes, students' tuitions memberships dues. We will also plan to diverse income mix:

- Employer-sponsored tuition and sliding-scale student fees
- Federal, state, and foundation grants for scholarships and wrap-around supports
- Fee-for-service contracts with hospitals on customized training modules
- A revolving scholarship fund seeded by grant matches, alumni “pay-it-forward” donations, and employer contributions
- RI Allied Health & Safety Institute works to provide permanent capital school space and LMS access for all training purposes and work with healthcare partners to support, donate simulation manikins, clinical placements, and preceptor time.
- RI Allied Health & Safety Institute covers a portion of instructor salaries and implement measures to optimize operations and minimize ongoing costs.
- By integrating sustainable funding mechanisms, building internal instructional capacity, and iterating through data insights, “100 CNAs in 100 Days” transitions from a one-off pilot into a scalable, self-sustaining solution that can expand statewide—and beyond. Conclusion
  The “100 Nursing Assistants in 100 Days” program is a timely and transformative response to Rhode Island’s healthcare workforce crisis. With your support, we will empower individuals, strengthen communities, and ensure that every patient receives the care they deserve.

100 Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) in 100 Days

By RI Allied Health and Safety Institute

100 Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) in 100 Days

Assist our Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) students with tuition assistance and certified nursing assistants' exam fees!