Extraordinary and moving testimony from constituents Laurie Millman (executive director of Center For New Americans) and Asani Furaha in support of a bill I filed, S. 1336, An Act *Expanding* Access to the Certified Nurses’ Aides Certification Process and its companion H.3609 filed by Representative Chan.
Watch them here: https://youtu.be/8q2utj4i55k.
As many know, the Center for New Americans is a community-based education and resource center which has been welcoming and serving immigrants in western Mass for more than 30 years.
Asani Furaha is a former nurse with Doctors without Borders in Burundi. She is a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo who took English and nursing assistant classes at Center for New Americans, currently works as a nurse aide, and has applied for her U.S. citizenship.
The bill stipulates four changes:
1. It significantly expands the languages in which someone seeking a nurses aide certification can take the exam.
2. It gives the DPH the ability to create the exam based on solid national standards – allowing for a practice test.
3. If students do not pass the exam, it mandates that students are informed about where they are in need of further study.
4. Finally, it allows for students to work for six months during which they are preparing for the exam.
I am grateful for the leadership and partnership of Representative Chan and Senator Keenan on this critical issue – a way to address the health care workforce shortage.
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