Boca Helping Hands Offers Free Job Training Program in Medical Billing and Coding
Boca Raton, FL —Boca Helping Hands will offer free job training in Medical Billing and Coding, starting Jan. 11 and running through December 2021. This field, which can be well suited to working from home, is within a sector of the economy that has seen an uptick in demand. The program is run by Medical Coding Instructor Toni Medina-Allen, a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) and independent consultant for Boca Helping Hands who was previously the Medical Coding Program Coordinator for SouthTech Academy.
“This is an excellent opportunity for residents in our community to obtain free training and launch a new career,” Medina-Allen said. “Students who begin this program in January will take their exam in December. Following completion of the course, Boca Helping Hands will help them prepare for and navigate their job search.”
Well trained billing and coding professionals have been desired workers during the pandemic, helping organizations to adapt to new guidelines and increased telehealth visits, navigate new billing and coding challenges, and reduce errors and patient conflicts.
Monica Hurley, a CPC who is employed by the billing office of a large multi-specialty surgery group, was first attracted to the industry because she kept seeing a need for medical coders in the marketplace – and felt the possibility of working from home was an additional draw. “If you are analytical and have a good memory – and enjoy anatomy, physiology, and biology – this is an ideal field to be in, ” she said. “You are always learning and you will never be bored.”
Boca Helping Hands offers other job training programs as well, including Home Health Aide, Commercial Driver’s License and Certified Nursing Assistant. New classes begin each month.
Those interested in the Job Training Programs are interviewed to determine eligibility for enrollment. Once accepted into their designated Job Training Program, they proceed to Job Readiness, a Professional Development Curriculum which is typically held in the Justin D. Webb Training Center, 1595 NW 1st Court, Boca Raton, but is currently being conducted virtually due to COVID-19.
Once students have completed the Job Readiness Program, Boca Helping Hands pays for them to attend an accredited school for their technical training and certification program. The Job Training Admissions & Care Coordinator works with the students before, during, and after their training program to provide support and connect them with available resources. When the student graduates, they meet with a Job Mentor from Boca Helping Hands who helps them work on their resume, apply for jobs and prepare for interviews.
Other no-cost classes held by Boca Helping Hands include English as a Second Language (ESOL), Survival English (an immersive online program to learn English), The Reading Project (an adult literacy program), and Nutrition for All. Boca Helping Hands also provides Learning Lab classes where students can practice computer skills and partners with First Citizens Bank to provide financial literacy classes.
“We have expanded the scope of Boca Helping Hands’ services to better enable our clients to become self-sufficient,” Greg Hazle, Boca Helping Hands Executive Director said. “The goal is to get students trained, certified and assist with employment so they don’t need Boca Helping Hands in the future.”
To apply for enrollment or for more information, contact Jennifer Disla at 561-417-0913, Ext. 220.
About Boca Helping Hands
Boca Helping Hands (BHH) is a community-based nonprofit that provides food, medical and financial assistance to meet basic human needs as well as education, job training and guidance to create self-sufficiency. Through its various assistance programs, BHH supports over 27,000 people annually.
BHH distributes more than 80,000 pantry bags each year at four Palm Beach County locations and serves over 55,000 hot meals annually, six days per week. The organization expands access to affordable medical, dental and behavioral care through its partnership with Genesis Community Health, serving clients at clinics in Boca Raton and Boynton Beach. BHH sends weekend meals home with food-insecure elementary school students via the BHH Backpacks Program and assists working families with the rising cost of childcare through the Children’s Assistance Program (CAP).
With an increased focus on client self-sufficiency, BHH awards scholarships for qualified candidates to attend accredited vocational training classes that prepare them for careers in the healthcare, information technology and transportation industries. BHH also offers free English as a Second Language (ESOL) classes and courses in nutrition and other life skills. Staff and volunteer mentors counsel the unemployed and underemployed in basic workplace skills and help them polish resumes and search for jobs.
Charity Navigator named Boca Helping Hands a Four-Star Charity for the 14th Consecutive Year. Boca Helping Hands is located at 1500 NW 1st Court, Boca Raton, FL 33432. For more information, please visit bocahelpinghands.org.