Earlier today, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education voted to advance drastic cuts to critical workforce development programs by favorably reporting out of the subcommittee its portion of the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bill. This legislation calls for eliminating Job Corps funding and reducing workforce program funding by nearly 30%, including for essential workforce grants and apprenticeship programs.
Argentum is deeply concerned about these funding cuts as they would impede progress to meet the workforce demands of our industry.
According to our recently released report (Workforce Projections for Senior Care) there is currently a shortage of more than 400,000 workers, which is projected to grow to more than 20 million workers by 2040. Argentum is working to fill this gap through a federally funded workforce initiative that is on target to recruit thousands of new CNAs, LPNs, RNs, rehab technicians, nursing directors, and executive directors through the DOL’s Healthcare Apprenticeship Expansion Program. If the cuts proposed by House lawmakers go forward, our efforts are jeopardized.
We need your help! We are calling on all Argentum Advocates to join us by sending a letter to Congress urging them to oppose these cuts from moving forward. The annual appropriations process is long and complex, and there are several opportunities to stop this, but we need everyone to join together to get our message heard.
Pre-written letters are available at the above link. All you need to do is enter your contact information to be matched with the appropriate lawmaker. Please share this link with your colleagues!
