How First Response HST Trains Ohio's Childcare Staff at Scale on FreshLearn

Problem Statement

Where First Response HST Started

First Response HST had sold its online training on Teachable since 2016. By 2025, with hundreds of childcare centers enrolling staff, the setup was held together by workarounds and a lot of manual work.

• Enrolling a center's staff was slow: a center couldn't add an employee unless that person was there to confirm an email code, and learners were added one at a time.
• Certificates couldn't be customized, so the certification cards Ohio accepts were produced in a separate forms tool.
• Each learner's 8-digit state training PIN had to be collected through a form inside the course.
• Around 40 Zapier automations fed Gmail, Google Sheets and forms, and staff processed every overnight completion by hand each morning.
• Getting help was hard: replies could take a day or more, and there was never a phone call.

Solution

One Branded Academy for Centers and the Public

On FreshLearn, First Response HST runs its state-approved courses from one academy on its own domain, for member centers and the general public alike.

1. 1Its own domain: The academy runs at online.firstresponsehst.com under the First Response HST brand.
2. 2Member centers through access codes: Member childcare centers get courses free or discounted through access codes, and more than 3,000 enrollments have come through member codes.
3. 3Staff enrolled in bulk: Centers' staff can be enrolled in bulk, instead of one person at a time.
4. 4The state PIN where it belongs: A custom signup field collects each learner's state training PIN, so it stays with their record.
5. 5Training learners actually complete: No-skip video and a final exam with a 70% pass mark and retakes before the certificate.
6. 6Custom certificates, sent automatically: The certification cards that used to come from a separate forms tool are now custom certificates, emailed as soon as a learner passes and downloadable from their account.
7. 7Repeat training made simple: When a certification comes due again after two or three years, learners re-enroll in the course and take the repeat training.

Implementation

Moving Nine Years of Training

The four partners compared platforms and chose FreshLearn for the features they needed at a price that made sense, plus a team they could actually talk to.

1. 1Courses, bundles and codes moved: Courses, bundles and the member access codes came across to the new academy.
2. 2Links switched over: Links on the First Response HST website were pointed at the new academy.
3. 3No one cut off: Learners already enrolled on Teachable could finish within their access window before the old school closed.

Results

5,600+ Enrollments, and Renewed for Another Year

• 5,600+ enrollments: Childcare staff and members of the public have enrolled in First Response HST's courses more than 5,600 times on FreshLearn.
• 2,800+ paid purchases: Alongside more than 3,000 enrollments through member center codes.
• Renewed: First Response HST renewed its yearly plan in 2026.