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‘Hundreds of health care workers will be getting a free ride to state colleges this year,’ says heavy-handed Hochul with nary a word about where the money’s coming from or whether, when or which legislators voted for it.

By Christian Wade, Contributor | The Center Square | Aug. 27, 2024

(The Center Square) — Hundreds of New York health care workers will be getting a free ride to state colleges this year as part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s agenda to boost the state’s workforce.

The Hochul administration announced on Monday that 500 applicants have been selected to receive the New York State Health Care Workers for Our Future Scholarship.

The scholarship will cover tuition, room and board for a two-year degree at any of the State University of New York’s campuses if the applicants commit to working in an “underserved” area for two years after graduation.

“We’re investing in New York’s future by supporting the next generation of health care professionals,” Hochul, a Democrat, said in remarks on Monday.

“These scholarships will not only help students achieve their educational goals but also ensure that communities across our state have access to vital health care services.”

The scholarship, open to New Yorkers regardless of income, covers two-year associate degrees for registered nurses, respiratory therapists, laboratory technologists, radiologists and surgical technologists.

New York Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa argues that the college scholarship program will “go beyond” just paying for the education of 500 budding health care professionals.

“They are an investment in the health and welfare of underserved communities across New York,” she said in remarks. “Our health care workers are essential to the well-being of New Yorkers, and this program is paving the way for a more inclusive and resilient future.”

The Hochul administration is also touting the $646 million it plans to spend over the next three years on the Career Pathways Training Program, which will recruit and train thousands of new health, mental health and social care workers.

The state has also paid more than $2 billion in bonuses to 800,000 health care workers statewide through the Health Care Worker Bonus Program, with payouts averaging about $3,000 per worker, according to the Hochul administration.

New York is among many states experiencing higher-than-normal levels of staffing shortages in health care, specifically at hospitals, nursing homes and ambulatory care, according to a recent report by the Center for Health Workforce Studies.

“The COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruptions to New York’s health care delivery system as well as its workforce,” the report’s authors wrote. “While the immediate pandemic impacts on health care delivery have dissipated, there have been persistent challenges that have affected the state’s health care workforce.”

The report cited a “great retirement” of health care workers in the wake of the pandemic, especially registered nurses, which has drained the system of experienced workers and trainers.

Competition for entry-level workers has contributed to the shortage of available workers, the report noted. Meanwhile, declining college enrollments have led to a shortfall of qualified graduates in the health care workforce pipeline.

“Consequently, it is critical to continually monitor the supply of and demand for health workers in the state, to understand the magnitude of shortages and their impact on access to care,” the report’s authors wrote. ##