Alaska receives a $9.7M grant to improve access to health care

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – New jobs and profession paths are being created within the well being care area to supply extra entry to public well being for Alaskans, because of the Good Jobs Problem Grant.

Alaska Major Care Affiliation was one in every of 32 nationwide recipients — out of over 500 candidates — to be awarded $9.7 million, centered on assembly the wants of employee shortages within the well being care system.

Alaska Hospital and Healthcare Affiliation President Jared Kosin mentioned that the state has a big gap within the workforce. With a median of 6,300 openings every year, the aim will likely be to make use of grant funding to concentrate on apprenticeship, hiring, and retention for all healthcare-related fields, which embrace hospitals, long-term care, and psychological well being. Kosin mentioned that this would be the state’s largest effort to search out options for long-standing workforce challenges.

“Which means creating a pipeline for extra individuals to return into the occupation,” Kosin mentioned. “It creates alternatives to advance them of their occupation after which hopefully alternatives to retain them.”

Kosin says that the COVID-19 pandemic put a highlight on the well being care problem, they usually proceed to see extra stress following that — so it’s essential to provide you with inventive concepts. Prior to now, staff had been recruited from the Decrease 48 in an try and slim the hole. Nevertheless, the state noticed difficulties in retaining staff making it laborious to maintain up with demand.

“That is one other approach for us to attach with youthful those that will not be going to varsity, will not be taking that subsequent step for schooling and giving them an avenue, not solely to get a great job however to advance inside that job,” Kosin mentioned.

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