This week, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced $19 million in funding to address workforce shortages through the Health Workforce Initiative. The funding will be made over four years to five schools, including two community colleges, to increase the nursing workforce practicing in acute care settings and long-term care facilities.
Argentum has met directly with HRSA on the need to invest in our long-term care workforce, with a projected demand of more than 20 million workers across the sector by the year 2040. Workers are needed not only in personal care, but in every career it takes to operate senior living communities.
Argentum has successfully advocated for legislative language to transform existing education and training programs specifically to develop the long-term care workforce. Argentum is seeking to expand on these efforts through the upcoming Federal appropriations process.
We applaud HRSA for taking this step and call on Congress and the administration to make further investments to meet the caregiving needs of our rapidly aging population.