Getting free phlebotomy training in California as part of a scholarship or grant is actually easier than you would think. There’s a great deal of government and private programs that may be able to help. We’ll profile some of these opportunities in this article.
Contact your local welfare office if you are currently receiving any type of public assistance benefits. (some of them have been listed at the end of this article) Even if you are not currently receiving benefits, you should contact the office if you have a low income. The California Welfare to Work Program is designed to provide individuals and families with some public assistance benefits while helping to transition those individuals back to work.
California’s Welfare to Work (WTW) program is designed to assist welfare recipients to obtain or prepare for employment. The welfare to work program serves all 58 counties in the state and is operated locally by each county welfare department or its contractors
The program can help to cover the cost of training for individuals who would benefit from starting a new career. You might very well find that one of the training programs you can attend is a phlebotomy training course.
Talk to an agent at your local Job Employment Agency. There are various opportunities for individuals who are unemployed through no fault of their own. You should contact the office of unemployment if you are currently receiving benefits and have decided you wish to attend a phlebotomy training course. They can help you to locate any potential programs that would cover the cost of your training. You might receive assistance with the training so that you can become self-sufficient once again by training for a new career and returning to work.
We’ve listed some of these local offices at the end of this article
If you are unemployed or have a low income, other assistance might be available to you as well. For example, you might be able to receive some childcare subsidy to help provide childcare while you attend training if you have children. It might be possible for you to access medical assistance and other benefits that will be helpful to you until you are able to complete training and start your new career.
California has many grants and scholarships for career training. If you take some time to look into programs and training classes in your area, you should not have too much trouble covering the cost.
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Direct Opportunities for Free Phlebotomy Training in California
Victor Valley College
18422 Bear Valley Road-VictorvilleCA 92395
Students attending the Phlebotomy Program at Victor Valley College may be able to receive help paying some of the expenses of their training. Some men and women will be eligible for the Board of Governors Fee Waiver. This is a California state grant that applies to tuition for community colleges only. Up to a specified amount per credit unit can be waived for those who qualify.
At last notation of the grant, $46 per credit was being waived. If a program costs more than the amount covered, students will need to search for other forms of aid to offset the cost. People should also remember that books and other fees are not covered by this waiver. But you might qualify for other grants and scholarships to cover this.
For someone to be eligible for this grant, they will need to have financial need and meet income requirements. The income limits do depend on the family size of the person who is submitting their application. Students receiving welfare including food stamp benefits can often receive this waiver for being on these state assistance programs.
When an individual completes their application for other forms of financial Aid at Victor Valley College, their information should also be transferred to the applicable Board of Governors Fee Waiver application to make it easy to see if they are eligible.
California Institute of Medical Science
Manchester Center 1901 East Shields, Suite B-118.-Fresno, CA 93726
The California Institute is one form of higher education offering a Phlebotomy training program. If someone is interested in this new career but does not know how to cover the cost, there are options that can help. The California Institute accepts a range of financial assistant options including programs and funding through the Workforce Connection.
Workforce Connection centers in the Fresno area, help individuals to find work even if that means that they need to train for a new type of employment. Displaced workers and homemakers alike can often receive funding through the Workforce Connection to attend career and vocational training programs such as the Phlebotomy option offered through the institute. In some cases an individual will need to show financial need but in other cases they will just need to show that they have been displaced from work for which they were originally trained or work they had done for many years.
Those who are interested in receiving funding for their Phlebotomy course this way will first need to check in with a WorkForce Connection center in their area. The advisors at the center can help them become enrolled in whatever workforce program they need to be in for them to be able to apply and qualify for funding to take their course at the California Institute of Medical Science.
*Keep in mind, the above state financial assistance programs are available throughout California. You can likely find a participating program for phlebotomy in your area.
Low Cost Phlebotomy Class Reviews in California
Allied Medical and Health Services
730 S. Central Ave., Ste 208, Glendale CA 91204
The phlebotomy training program covers 97 total hours. There is 40 hours of classroom study. And 58 hours of clinical practice. You must have 50 successful venipunctures to pass the class. The course will teach you to collect blood and other samples. You will learn safety protocol. The class will prepare you for various emergency situations.
Applicants to the course must have their high school diploma or GED. You will need to take and pass a reading comprehension exam. A physical exam is required and you must have a driver’s license to ensure you can get to your clinical sessions.
If you complete this course with success, you can sit for the certification exam
Angeles College of Nursing
3440 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 310, Los Angeles, CA 90010
This is a nursing school but they also offer a phlebotomy Certification class. The class has 40 hours of classroom/lecture study with practice and simulation. There is an additional 40 hours of clinical instruction. This is where you will get to work directly with patients. You will observe and later do your own blood and specimen preparation and collection.
This hands on part of the training is vital to your success as a phlebotomist. Graduates of the course can take the national certification exam to become a certified phlebotomy technician.
Phlebotomists who already have 1040 hours in the field, but who are not nationally certified, can take the advanced course. This course covers 20 hours in the classroom over a 3-week period.
Butte County CTE
2491 Carmichael Drive, Suite 500, Chico CA 95928 530-879-7462
Their phlebotomy course lasts about 10 weeks. Classroom instruction is twice per week for 3 hours each session. During the bottom 6 weeks of class, students will work under close supervision in a lab for 40-80 hours.
During that time, students will need to get 10 successful skin punctures as well as 50 successful venipunctures. Students will observe but not do 2 arterial draws during clinicals.
This course does cost $2250.
Cuesta College
N Hwy 1 San Luis Obispo, CA 93403
The Phlebotomy Training program at Cuesta College is intended for individuals who already have experience in the healthcare industry. This program is not available to individuals who are not already working in some type of healthcare role.
Courses can be attended at the San Luis as well as the North County Campus of Cuesta College. The program is offered in the spring and fall semesters and includes 3.5 units of study. No more than 15 people will be in a phlebotomy course as well. Individuals who would like to know more about the phlebotomy training can contact Dawn Smith at desmith@cuesta.edu.
Newbridge College
878 Jackman St El Cajon, CA 92020
Newbridge College offers Phlebotomy Training at more than one campus location including that at El Cajon, California. This college’s training to become a Certified Phlebotomy Technician is intended to be attended by individuals who already work in the healthcare industry. This particular program is only about 6 weeks in length. The course includes both classroom instruction and an externship. The externship allows individuals to receive hands on experience carrying out the duties of a Phlebotomy Technician.
Individuals need to have a certification or degree from another college in the areas of Medical Assisting, Nursing Assistant, Surgical Technician or related fields. Otherwise, applicants must be able to provide 5 years of some type of healthcare experience. If an individual believes they have some other experience or knowledge to prepare them for this training, they must meet with the president of the campus for consideration of acceptance into the program.
Empire College
3035 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Empire College is now offering phlebotomy training in conjunction with Kaiser Permanente. This program will include 60 hours of studies that will be completed on campus. Individuals will receive classroom instruction, lab studies and other forms of hands on experience. After finishing these hours, students will complete 40 hours of clinical training. The training program is equivalent to 5 units of classes. An instructor will help students to complete their clinical portion of the training. The course is currently being offered as two 5 week sessions on campus. Therefore, within a matter of just a couple months, individuals can start a new career in the area of Phlebotomy.
Offices That May be Able to Provide Assistance
San Francisco Department of Human Services
170 Otis Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Telephone: (415) 557-5000
Santa Barbara Workforce Resource Center
130 E. Ortega Street
Santa Barbara California
Telephone: (805) 568-1296
North East Family Resource Center
5001 73rd Street
San Diego, CA 92115
CalWorks-North Region
3320 E. La Palma Avenue
Anaheim California 92806
Telephone: (714) 575-2400
How much does a Phlebotomist make in California?
The average yearly salary for a phlebotomist in California is $38,300. The salary ranges might be different depending on the city and various important factors such as skills, experience and education.
Phlebotomy FAQs
How long does it take to become a phlebotomist in California? Phlebotomy classes are about 4-8 months. The phlebotomy training program is 20 hours of basic class instruction, 20 hours of advanced class instruction, 40 hours of practical training 50 successful venipunctures and 10 successful skin punctures on patients.
Are phlebotomists in high demand? The demand for phlebotomists is growing rapidly every year. The demand will remain high as doctors and healthcare professionals often require blood samples etc.
How many hours does a phlebotomy technician work? Phlebotomy technicians work about 40 hours a week. Sometimes they may be hired on just a part-time basis. In this case the hours would be less.
Where can phlebotomists work? Usually in hospitals and clinical laboratories but also at community health centers, nursing homes and blood donation centers. They usually work under the supervision of a medical professional.
What forms of payment can I pay through for my training? This will depend on the school. Usually you will pay through any major credit card, by check or money order. Some schools may accept cash or payment from other payment processors.
Do I need computer skills? Yes you will need computer skills. Patient records and orders are typically online. In most settings, you print the lab labels from the computer. You read lab orders from the computer as well. In some cases iPads and similar devices may be used as well.