- The HCAP grant will fund an innovative and collaborative approach for workers, unions, and employers to work together to solve the staffing and retention challenges in nursing homes.
- A survey from the American Health Care Association earlier this year found that 86 percent of nursing homes in the U.S. are experiencing moderate to severe staffing shortages.
- Without long-term investments to address staffing challenges, the nursing home workforce will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2027
Lansing, MI – The Healthcare Career Advancement Program (H-CAP) has been awarded a $25 million grant from the state of Michigan to address critical staffing shortages in nursing homes across the state. The grant will fund a labor-management collaboration- including employers and workers-that is committed to the development of sustainable long-term solutions to recruit, train and retain staff and to build a stable, high-quality workforce for nursing homes.
The nursing home industry faces an ongoing challenge in attracting and keeping qualified direct care staff. High turnover and vacancy rates were problematic before the COVID-19 pandemic and have created unsafe conditions for residents and staff. Without long-term investments to address staffing challenges, the nursing home workforce will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2027, the AHCA/NCAL has projected. This grant will tackle the staffing shortage by focusing on several key components including:
- Worker retention and recruitment through improved access to key benefits
- Programs to utilize experienced workers in recruitment and retention efforts
- Development and implementation of worker centered training initiatives
- Robust wrap around supports for success
- Infrastructure and operational supports
“This grant from the state of Michigan will allow us to scale proven workforce development solutions to help many more nursing homes fill critical staffing needs,” said Danielle Copeland, Executive Director of H-CAP. “By providing a path for individuals to gain skills and advance their careers, we are building a pipeline of dedicated professionals who want to care for our most vulnerable populations over the long term.
The $25 million grant will provide supports for nursing home employees in 66 MediLodge and Villa Healthcare facilities in the state from 2023-2024. H-CAP will work closely with nursing homes operators and the union to facilitate problem-solving and implementation of proposal strategies.
“This grant is a strategic investment in our workers and the patients that they serve every day,” said Dian Palmer, Trustee at SEIU Healthcare Michigan. “The staffing shortage is a challenge that can only be overcome if workers, employers, and our government agencies work together. We know that when workers are respected and paid competitively on the job, their residents receive high-quality healthcare. We are excited to get started and build solutions for our dedicated nursing home staff.”
About H-CAP:
H-CAP is a national labor-management organization, with a network of over 1,000 participating employers and 550,000 workers with access to collectively bargained training benefits across 16 states and DC, that develops, implements, and operationalizes innovative workforce solutions for partners. H-CAP has years of experience successfully managing federal contracts, federal grants, and philanthropic grants and will act as centralized service provider.