California Inmates Graduate with Certifications in Healthcare Facilities Maintenance

More than a dozen inmates at Salinas Valley State Prison and Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California graduated with job certifications in health care facilities maintenance, the Salinas Valley Tribune reports.

The graduates were participants in a state-wide job training program—health care facilities maintenance (HFM)—which is offered by the California Industry Authority (CALPIA). Every year the HFM program provides valuable job training skills to about 1,000 California participants.

Inmates go through several training modules as they learn how to clean health care facilities. Lessons include best practices for cleaning settings infected with viruses, bloodborne pathogens, and other hazardous pathogens while meeting Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements.

CALPIA’s HFM program has resulted in graduates working at hospitals and dental offices. Some even started their own cleaning businesses. Bill Davidson, CALPIA’s acting general manager, addressed the graduates at Salinas Valley State Prison by saying, “Congratulations, you should all be very proud of your accomplishments. We want you all to be successful and this program has a great track record.”

Some graduates also received their state apprenticeship, which is provided in partnership with the Department of Industrial Relations.

“During the pandemic in 2020, my co-workers and I felt valued and appreciated. We were called upon to perform a job in providing safety for all staff and inmates in this institution,” said Joey Lucero, an HFM graduate said during the graduation. “I am so very thankful to have this opportunity to achieve our dreams and goals and apply ourselves in a professional manner.”

Other custodial training programs are offered to prison inmates around the country, including a certified custodial technician program from ISSA’s Cleaning Management Institute (CMI). This course was held during the pandemic and has been credited with preventing the spread of COVID-19 in an Illinois prison.