PENNSYLVANIA — In a move to strengthen Pennsylvania’s long-term care workforce, leaders from the Pennsylvania Departments of Health (DOH), Human Services (DHS) and Aging (PDA) convened at The Gardens at Wyoming Valley in Wilkes-Barre. The meeting highlighted the Shapiro Administration’s ongoing efforts to build a more resilient workforce within the state’s long-term care communities.
Jason Davies, Administrator at The Gardens at Wyoming Valley, showcased how the facility is utilizing Quality Investment Pilot grant funding. This funding, announced by DOH earlier this year, supplements the facility’s investment in workforce development.
Several staff members have been enrolled in courses offered through Drexel University, thanks to the grant funding. These courses, co-developed by DOH, focus on infection prevention control and emergency preparedness, specifically for long-term care facilities.
The Quality Investment Pilot funding is aiding long-term care facilities across the Commonwealth to implement innovative strategies that improve staff training and retention.
Acting Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen emphasized the importance of equipping long-term care workers with the necessary skills and support to provide exemplary care. She acknowledged the challenges caregivers face and highlighted the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to developing innovative ways to support long-term care across the state.
In response to the industry’s challenges, the Department of Health consolidated its older Pennsylvania care efforts into the Long-Term Care Transformation Office earlier this year. This office provides guidance and assistance to care communities, including assisted living, intermediate care, skilled nursing, personal care homes, and state veterans homes, across Pennsylvania.
The office focuses on long-term care workforce resiliency, infection prevention and control, emergency preparedness, and sustainable outbreak response operations to protect residents.
Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich underscored the pivotal role of direct care workers in Pennsylvania’s long-term services and supports. He called for communities to support these workers in developing a sustainable career path.
The Long-Term Care Transformation Office’s efforts align with the Shapiro Administration’s ongoing initiatives, including a $400 million investment in the Commonwealth Workforce Transformation Program, $2.6 million in awards for apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities, a $23.5 million investment in workforce training and vo-tech programs in the 2023-2024 state budget, and $3.5 million in funding for the School-to-Work program in the 2023-2024 state budget.
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