Governor Hochul Announces Awards of $32.5 Million to Expand Healthcare Workforce Training Across New York State Regions

4 Healthcare Facilities Selected for Competitive Grants to Address Community-Specific Workforce Shortages in Diverse Healthcare Disciplines

Five-Year Awards Will Help Facilities Train and Retain Qualified Healthcare Professionals in High-Need Communities

Governor Hochul today announced the recipients of $32.5 million in annual competitive grants under the Increasing Training Capacity in Statewide Health Care Facilities program.  A total of 34 not-for-profit healthcare facilities across all 10 state regions have been selected to expand and enhance workforce training programs, each designed to address the unique healthcare workforce needs of their communities.

“At a time when our federal government is pulling back support for the healthcare workforce, New York is investing in training the professionals New Yorkers rely on to deliver high-quality care,” Governor Hochul said.  “We will always take action to strengthen our state’s healthcare system to protect the care New Yorkers and their families rely on.”

State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, "New York State is facing a healthcare workforce shortage that demands urgent action.  These awards empower healthcare facilities to expand their training infrastructure in ways that are responsive to their communities' unique needs.  By supporting diverse healthcare professions, we are building a stronger, more resilient healthcare workforce across our state."

The five-year awards, effective October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2031, reflect the state's commitment to building a robust healthcare workforce pipeline.  The Health Resources and Services Administration projects continued healthcare workforce shortages across nursing, allied health, behavioral health, primary care, oral health, and other critical healthcare disciplines through 2036.  Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, each selected facility assessed its regional and local healthcare workforce needs and designed tailored training programs to address those specific gaps.  Award recipients will support diverse healthcare disciplines.  Awards, ranging from $500,000 to $1,000,000 annually, will support facility-based training programs for current and future employees pursuing recognized licenses and certifications.  Eligible uses include tuition and fees, instructor salaries, simulation lab equipment, wage subsidies and recruitment costs.  The awards represent part of Governor Hochul's broader $10 billion healthcare investment, which includes wages and bonuses to increase healthcare employment, retention, and recruitment.  The Increasing Training Capacity program uniquely addresses the supply-side challenge by enabling healthcare facilities to increase the number of qualified professionals they can train annually in response to their specific community needs.  Award recipients include a diverse portfolio of general hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and diagnostic and treatment centers.  The geographic distribution across all 10 state regions: Capital, Central, Finger Lakes, Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Mohawk Valley, New York City, North Country, Southern Tier, and Western, ensures that workforce training expansion reaches healthcare facilities and communities statewide.

Grant Award Recipients:

Capital Region

• Ellis Hospital
• Hudson Headwaters Health Network
• St. Peter's Hospital

Central Region

• Loretto Health and Rehabilitation
• Seneca Hill Manor Inc.
• St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center

Finger Lakes Region

• Newark-Wayne Community Hospital
• Rochester General Hospital
• University of Rochester

Long Island Region

• Catholic Health System of Long Island
• John T. Mather Memorial Hospital
• Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation
• Rosalind and Joseph Gurwin Jewish Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

Mid-Hudson Region

• Good Samaritan Hospital of Suffern
• Sun River Health Inc.
• White Plains Hospital Medical Center

Mohawk Valley Region

• Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital
• MVHS Inc.
• Rome Memorial Hospital

New York City Region

• Eger Health Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale
• Jewish Home Lifecare Manhattan
• Montefiore Medical Center
• The Jamaica Hospital

North Country Region

• Carthage Area Hospital Inc.
• Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
• Samaritan Medical Center

Southern Tier Region

• Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca
• Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital
• United Health Services Hospitals Inc.

Western Region

• Catholic Health System
• Jericho Road Ministries Inc.
• The Chautauqua Center
• UPMC Chautauqua at WCA 

Please note that all awards are contingent upon review and approval of the Office of the State Comptroller.

State Senator Gustavo Rivera said, “I want to thank Governor Hochul for awarding grants to institutions across the state, including Montefiore Medical Center and the Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale in my district.  Our State is creating critical pathways to rewarding healthcare careers through these investments and improving recruitment and retention to build a stronger, more sustainable healthcare system.”

Assemblymember Amy Paulin said, “Our healthcare workforce is not keeping up with the needs of our communities.  Building our workforce, improving retention, and keeping staff trained on the latest medical technology is critically important.  Governor Hochul’s commitment to building a stronger healthcare workforce will benefit families across our state, country and world.”

About the Increasing Training Capacity Program

The Increasing Training Capacity in Statewide Health Care Facilities program is administered by the New York State Department of Health's Office of Health Care Workforce Innovation within the Center for Strategic Health Initiatives, Office of Primary Care and Health Systems Management.  The program supports Article 28 not-for-profit healthcare facilities in expanding their capacity to train current and future healthcare workers in response to documented workforce shortages.  Grantees conduct assessments to identify regional and local healthcare workforce needs, then design and implement tailored training programs to address those specific community needs across a wide range of licensed and certified healthcare professions.