The University of Hawaiʻi System-Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) Contact Tracing Training Program kicks off its first cohort of trainees on Monday, June 8. The first pilot group will have 16 trainees in a free, online one-and-a-half day training for clinical healthcare professionals.

The program as a whole expects to train 320 contact tracers by mid-July 2020 as well as hundreds more in the next year.

A second training track, for those without a healthcare background, has had approximately 1,200 applicants.

Contact tracing is an important component of controlling the spread of COVID-19.   It involves calling people who have been exposed to those with COVID-19 and talking with them about the implications, and helping them work through the issues.   UH President David Lassner announced the program on May 13.  Funding is through the Federal CARES act, and free to the participants.

The Department of Health has full-time employees doing contact tracing.  Those who complete the training program are invited to join the DOH’s Medical Reserve Corps (volunteer pool). If there is a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in Hawaiʻi beyond the contact tracing capacity of the DOH, those who complete the program may be asked to serve as contact tracers for the state. Completing the training program does not guarantee employment.

The first track is a one-and-a-half day training course for clinical healthcare professionals who have both an undergraduate degree and a clinical health background: registered nurse, nurse practitioner, social worker, pharmacist, physician or physician assistant.  That track is completely full, with a waiting list.

Track 2 is a six-week training course for those with undergraduate degrees but without clinical backgrounds.

Under the DOH-UH Contact Tracing Training Program, the UH Community Colleges  will also provide expanded community health worker training, beginning in the fall. Community health workers are needed to help reach and support high-risk communities and work with contact tracers to manage disease outbreaks in those communities.

Track 2 contract tracing training is open to those with undergraduate degrees (health career-oriented preferred). Community Health Worker (CHW) training is open to all with a high school degree or GED. Those interested in more information about Track 2 or CHW training may sign up online at go.hawaii.edu/AQX or email specific questions to oshi@hawaii.edu. Neighbor island residents are encouraged to sign up for more information.