For the first time, bipartisan bills have been introduced in Congress that would provide substantial federal funding to scale up Community Health Center-led workforce development programs. NACHC believes these bills represent a meaningful step toward addressing the workforce shortage faced by Community Health Centers.
The Health Care Workforce Innovation Act—led by Reps. Marc Molinaro (R-NY) and Angie Craig (D-MN) in the House and Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in the Senate—would authorize federal funding to partnerships led by health centers that train medical assistants, dental assistants, pharmacy technicians, community health workers, and other allied health providers.
Read House bill (H.R. 7307) press release.
Read Senate bill (S. 4957) press release.
New bills a promising step toward addressing the workforce shortage
The need for clinical support staff—also called allied health professionals—is significant. According to the Medical Group Management Association, each clinical provider needs two allied health professionals, such as medical assistants, dental hygienists, pharmacy technicians, peer specialists, and billing and coding professionals, to deliver care effectively. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) projects the country needs nearly 100,000 additional medical assistants and more than 32,000 additional dental assistants by 2036.
Health centers are leading the way in recruiting and training the next generation of allied health professionals. More than 80 percent of health centers operate education and training for clinical support staff. However, a lack of dedicated federal support has limited health centers’ ability to scale up these promising programs and constrained their ability to recruit and retain these highly sought-after professionals.
Advocacy needed to increase the cosponsors for these important bipartisan bills
NACHC encourages health centers to share their workforce challenges with their representatives and senators and educate them about how federal funding could expand current community-based workforce development programs to meet those challenges. We also recommend that advocates emphasize that these programs create good-paying jobs with rewarding career paths in underserved communities nationwide. Sign up to receive advocacy updates from NACHC.
The Health Care Workforce Innovation Act would scale up promising community-based programs:
- This bill authorizes HRSA to issue grants to establish or expand partnerships between health centers, high schools, vocational-technical schools, community colleges, and Area Health Education Centers (AHEC).
- Grants can also be used to develop preceptorship training-to-practice models for medical, behavioral, and oral healthcare professionals in integrated community-driven settings, such as health centers.
- Additionally, new and existing healthcare career laddering programs can be supported, incentivizing young people to enter and stay in the field long-term and alleviating workforce shortages.
Organizations that support these bills
In addition to NACHC, the following organizations support these bills: National Rural Health Association, National Network for Oral Health Access, Mental Health America, A.T. Still University, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, National AHEC Organization, American Health Information Management Association, Primary Care Collaborative, Community Catalyst, School-Based Health Alliance, and the American Physical Therapy Association.
Many health centers lead workforce development programs
There are numerous examples of successful health center-led workforce development programs across the country:
The Maria Loredo Workforce Development Program in Oregon
In Oregon, the Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Centercreated the Maria Loredo Workforce Development Program to encourage staff to take the next step in their career growth.
Through this program, the health center provides up to $15,000 to every staff member, regardless of how long they have been with the organization or their role. It is designed to support staff pursuing education and certificate-level training that could directly benefit their organization. Most courses of study or job-related certification programs will qualify. That includes general college coursework related to getting an Associate of Arts or bachelor’s degree and pre-requisite classes being taken in preparation for other programs. Certification programs related to an employee’s current job or a future role within the organization are also included.
In a recent three-month period, Virginia Garcia financially supported, trained, and hired 11 dental and 14 medical assistants using internal workforce development programs.
Watch this video for a powerful story about a medical assistant and her experience in a Virginia Garcia-led program.
Cornerstone Family Health Care
Medical assistants are an integral part of Cornerstone Family Healthcare. More than any other role in our organization, they mirror the communities the health center serves. Many of their medical assistants began their journeys as patients at Cornerstone Family Healthcare, giving them a deep understanding of our patients’ lived experiences. This connection enables them to provide culturally competent and empathetic care, truly resonating with those they serve.
For many, obtaining medical assistant certification is the first achievable step into the healthcare field, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Cornerstone has long recognized this and has fostered a strategic partnership with the State University of New York (SUNY) Orange, focusing on workforce development for medical assistants and addiction counselors. Cornerstone also recruits medical assistants from other reputable programs at SUNY Dutchess and SUNY Ulster.
While Cornerstone provides in-house training for our staff, the potential to expand these opportunities would be significant, especially if Congress passes legislation that offers federal support for workforce development. The competition for recruiting, training, and retaining health professionals in the Hudson Valley has become increasingly fierce, with larger organizations like hospitals often outmatching us in terms of preceptor time, salaries, and training stipends. This challenge underscores the urgent need for additional resources to help us train more medical assistants. By expanding our training capabilities, we can enhance the productivity of our clinical providers, reduce the wait times for patients seeking primary care, and ultimately strengthen our ability to serve the community effectively.
Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers Apprenticeship Program
Minnesota’s Primary Care Association offers an apprenticeship program to allow interested individuals to become medical assistants or dental assistants and start rewarding and important careers in community health. During the 12-month program, an apprentice is a full-time employee at one of Minnesota’s 17 Community Health Centers, receiving on the job training while completing a required online curriculum.
Since its inception in 2022, 30 apprentices have graduated from the program, with 16 currently enrolled. Of these apprentices, 25 identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color), and 10 come from rural areas.
Graduates from the program have gone on to enroll in pre-med programs, showing the value of investing in community-based training for allied health professions.
Learn more about the Minnesota program.
Questions about the workforce legislation
Please contact Nick Widmyer (NWidmyer@nachc.org) or Mandar Jadhav (MJadhav@nachc.org) if you have any questions about how to advocate for this important bill or would like to share additional information about your health center’s workforce development program!
NACHC encourages health centers to share their workforce challenges with their representatives and senators and educate them about how federal funding could expand current community-based workforce development programs to meet those challenges. We also recommend that advocates emphasize that these programs create good-paying jobs with rewarding career paths in underserved communities nationwide.