PRESS RELEASE: Iroquois Healthcare Association to serve as One of Three High Performing Workforce Investment Organizations Under New York Health Equity Reform (NYHER) 1115 Waiver
The Iroquois Healthcare Association has been named as a Workforce Investment Organization to facilitate the New York State Department of Health’s (NYSDOH) new workforce initiatives under its 1115 Waiver.
(Clifton Park, NY) – The Iroquois Healthcare Association (IHA) has been selected by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) as the Region 2 Workforce Investment Organization (WIO) under the new 1115 NYHER Waiver. IHA’s dedicated 25-year history of contributions and experiences with health care workforce in Upstate New York has perfectly positioned them for success in this new role. Approval of the NYHER Waiver was announced by Governor Hochul in January of this year. The waiver includes $646 million dollars over a three-year period dedicated to bolstering the health care workforce across the state through a career pathways training (CPT) program. IHA will be facilitating the CPT in Region 2, which consists of a large portion of Upstate New York, under the program name Caring Gene Healthcare Career Pathways, Inc.
Caring Gene Healthcare Career Pathways, Inc. will facilitate and organize the education of unemployed/ underemployed individuals not currently working in healthcare as well as provide career enhancement opportunities for existing employees of healthcare organizations. It will recruit eligible students to complete training in more than a dozen healthcare career titles focused on nursing, professional technical and frontline public health workers.
The NYHER Waiver will pay for 100 percent of tuition costs and books, as well as be utilized to employ education case managers who will help students successfully complete their academic program. Once students finish their education they will complete a three-year service commitment with a healthcare employer.
Caring Gene Healthcare Career Pathways, Inc. will work with the recently announced Social Care Networks also funded through the Waiver, as well as existing partners to support shared goals.
IHA is committed to the success of the NYHER Waiver and the Career Pathways Training program. This is an important opportunity to address the healthcare workforce challenges in Upstate New York.
“IHA is proud that the Hochul Administration has designated IHA as the Workforce Investment Organization (WIO) to provide workforce services to Central NY, the Southern Tier, the North Country, and the Capital Region under the NYHER 1115 Waiver.,” said IHA President and CEO Gary Fitzgerald. “We have been a leader in the healthcare workforce in Upstate NY for decades. In recent years, healthcare providers in our region have faced significant staffing shortages and higher vacancy rates than the rest of the state, threatening continued access to quality care. We are excited to collaborate with providers and educational organizations in this region to attract new workers to healthcare and help advance the careers of experienced healthcare professionals. We expect that this workforce will have a positive impact on local economies, ensuring a stable and well-paid employment base, thus strengthening the economic future of communities in Upstate NY. We are looking forward to teaming up with the recently announced social care networks in our region, Healthy Alliance and Care Connect. This project is critically important. We commend Governor Hochul for recognizing the need to address the monumental challenges we have long-experienced to recruit, educate and retain individuals for these vital roles to help preserve and grow access to quality healthcare in Upstate and Rural New York.”
About the Iroquois Healthcare Association: IHA is a regional healthcare trade organization representing 54 hospitals and health systems, spanning over 28,000 square miles, across 32 counties of Upstate New York. IHA is the leading resource for facilities and professionals bringing quality health care to the region. IHA represents the unique needs of rural, small community safety-net providers to large, academic medical centers in Upstate New York’s urban areas through advocacy, education and information, cost-savings initiatives and innovative business solutions.
For Governor Hochul’s official announcement, please click here.