Governor Hochul Announces $646 Million to Recruit and Train Thousands More Health Care Workers Across New York

 

Creates New Career Pathways for Next Generation of Health, Mental Health and Social Care Workers

Provides New Career Advancement Opportunities for Current Workers

Continues Governor’s Efforts to Strengthen and Increase Health Care Workforce in Partnership with Organized Labor

New York Paid Over $2 Billion in Bonuses to Over 800,000 Health Care Workers

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced three Workforce Investment Organizations (WIO) will receive awards totaling up to $646 million over the next three years to implement the Career Pathways Training (CPT) Program, which will recruit and train thousands of new health, mental health, and social care workers across New York. This program will also provide new career advancement opportunities to many current health care workers throughout the State. The WIO awardees are 1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds, Iroquois Healthcare Association, and the Finger Lakes Performing Provider System. Today's announcement is made possible through the Governor's 1115 New York Health Equity Reform Waiver approved in January.

“The health of every New Yorker depends on a strong, stable, and equitable health care system, and health care workers are its very foundation,” Governor Hochul said. “This investment allows us to continue to retain and grow our health care workforce and ensure we deliver the highest quality health care for New Yorkers.”

As the designated WIOs under the CPT Program, the 1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds, Iroquois Healthcare Association, and Finger Lakes Performing Provider System will use this new funding to:

• Conduct outreach and recruit thousands of new and current health, mental health, and social care workers for participation in the CPT Program.
• Support CPT Program participants with tutoring and other academic support such as apprenticeship and mentorship programs.
• Make payments to support participants’ tuition program fees, textbooks and supplies.
• Aid in job readiness and placement to meet service commitments.
• Hold educational programs for new and current health, mental health, and social care workers, including application and enrollment assistance.
• Form partnerships with educational institutions and other stakeholders to increase career opportunities for CPT program participants.
• Perform data collection and reporting on CPT program performance metrics, spending, and other information.

The funding awarded to these Workforce Investment Organizations is possible because Governor Hochul secured an amendment to New York’s Medicaid Section 1115 Demonstration that allows New York to invest nearly $6 billion of federal funding into New York's health care system over the next three years. The waiver amendment is now allowing New York to make transformative investments, including establishing Social Care Networks to integrate health, behavioral, and social care services that connect high-need members to critical nutritional and housing support services; enhancing access to coordinated and comprehensive treatment for substance use disorders; investing in primary care and making long-term, sustainable investments in the state’s health care workforce.

Through the CPT Program, the WIOs will address statewide workforce shortages by subsidizing education and training services to provide holistic educational and professional placement support for New Yorkers in the program who are newly entering the workforce or advancing their careers.

Participants of the CPT program must fall under one of the eligible titles specified in the waiver and make a three-year service commitment in their new professional title to Medicaid providers that serve at least 30 percent of Medicaid members and/or uninsured individuals. Career training will be organized to support both new careers in health, mental health, and social care and career advancement in these fields.

The CPT Program is a key initiative under the New York Health Equity Reform waiver amendment, which includes approximately $7.5 billion – including nearly $6 billion in federal funding – for waiver initiatives, including the CPT program, through 2027. More information can be found under the MRT 1115 Waiver Amendments tab.

Supporting Health Care Workers with Over $2 Billion in Bonuses

In addition to investing in the next generation of New York’s health care workers, Governor Hochul has continued to support current health care workers who provide the services that so many New Yorkers rely on.

Earlier this week, the Governor announced that New York State has paid over $2 billion in bonuses to more than 800,000 health care workers statewide through the Health Care Worker Bonus Program. The program was launched by Governor Hochul in 2022 and provided bonuses of up to $3,000 for eligible health care workers across New York.

That program issued payments to workers who provide hands-on and patient-facing health care services. Workers who received payments through the program must have an annualized base salary, excluding any bonuses or overtime pay, of $125,000 or less and can be full-time or part-time.