Idaho has a severe need for healthcare workers. There aren’t enough primary care doctors, specialists, counselors, nurses, technicians, and other workforce members whose roles are critical to providing care in the Gem State.

This crisis is magnified in rural parts of our vast and geographically diverse state. One way to increase the number of healthcare workers is through Career Technical Education (CTE) programs. CTE programs provide high school students with training and skills that prepare them for in-demand careers, including health professions.

That’s one reason why the Arco-based Butte County School District started offering health professions CTE courses. Arco is a small, rural community that struggles to find healthcare workers. The stories included in this case study tell the story behind the programs.

The Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health provided the school district with catalytic grant funding that helped launch health professions CTE courses, including certified nursing assistant, emergency medical technician, and dental assisting.

Read the case study: CTE Story of Impact in Arco