SITE Partnership with Jordan Center in Lawrence County Helps Latasha Kidd Begin Career as CNA

Before Latasha Kidd landed a job as a certified nurse aide (CNA) at The Jordan Center in Louisa, Ky., she had spent three years working at the Elliott County Public Library. Little did she know, life had a different path for her that would lead her to rediscover her passion for healthcare. 

“Life kind of took a big turn and I kind of fell out of line and just lost everything,” Kidd says during a short break from her morning shift at The Jordan Center. She is sitting on the edge of a sofa and is dressed in blue scrubs and her Jordan Center ID hangs from a holder clipped to her collar. 

Latasha Kidd

Just a few months ago Kidd was enrolled in an addiction treatment program through Addiction Recovery Care (ARC) in Lawrence County. She had progressed far enough in treatment that she was also eligible for a pilot program offered at The Jordan Center to train people in recovery for a career in the medical field. As the referring partner, ARC presented Kidd with an opportunity to speak with Jordan Center Administrator David McKenzie and his staff about applying for the training program.

Branded as Certified Nurse Aides Providing Recovery Opportunities (CNA PRO), the pilot is a novel approach to solving staffing shortages in healthcare that incorporates partnerships with the recovery community and workforce development—and more specifically the SITE program—to ensure participants can overcome barriers that may otherwise prevent them from gaining employment, such as lack of transportation and housing. With support from the state government in the form of a waiver allowing for the training of an inaugural cohort from the recovery community, CNA PRO was designed to prove the concept that individuals in recovery can perform healthcare jobs and help solve critical staffing issues across the state. 

The program was also just what Kidd was looking for. She noted that a career in healthcare has been her dream since childhood, and with additional support from SITE, she is making that dream a reality.  

“I am actually living my dream, this is my dream,” she says. 

An initiative of Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP), SITE works to bridge the gap between recovery and productive participation in the workforce by providing eligible Kentuckians with valuable career services while actively cultivating second-chance job opportunities.  

SITE played a crucial role in not only facilitating Kidd’s CNA training but also addressing fundamental aspects of her life. Working with Barbara Gay, SITE’s special populations project assistant manager, the program provided assistance with housing and ensured that Kidd had a stable and supportive environment. SITE is also actively working on addressing transportation needs and recognizes the importance of accessibility for clients within the program.  

“The housing was really great and it’s really close to work,” she says. “And they helped with getting resources, like just getting on our feet, basically.” 

Prior to working at The Jordan Center, Kidd had begun CNA classes but was unable to complete them. Meeting McKenzie and his staff reignited her interest, she says, and the team assured her that she would have the opportunity to resume and complete the training, and it played a significant role in building her confidence and allowing her to recognize her own strengths.  

“I had a lot of self-doubt, so when I met David and his team and trainers, they built me up, they gave me hope and strength, and every day I just pushed on and I knew that I was better than what I used to be,” she says. “So, this is something very big for me.” 

Kidd’s training began in February 2023 and lasted approximately eight weeks. The process proved to be more manageable than Kidd had anticipated. As she engaged with the staff and trainers, memories from her previous classes resurfaced, making the experience an easy transition.  

“I love it every day. I look forward to getting up every day. I have my good days and my bad days, but I love it and wouldn’t trade it for anything,” she says.  

To learn more about the services available through SITE, and how the initiative might be able to assist you or someone you know, visit www.ekcep.org/site.   

EKCEP, a nonprofit workforce development agency headquartered in Hazard, Ky., serves the citizens of 23 Appalachian coalfield counties. The agency provides an array of workforce development services and operates the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network of workforce centers, which provide access to more than a dozen state and federal programs that offer employment and training assistance for jobseekers and employers all under one roof. Learn more about us at http://www.ekcep.org, http://www.jobsight.org and http://www.facebook.com/ekcep. 

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