Health care workforce challenges have been a reoccurring issue for decades and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these challenges across the continuum of care. As part of a multi-faceted effort to address these challenges, the Healy-Driscoll Administration, EOHHS and the Massachusetts Workforce Skills Cabinet, in partnership with employers and educational institutions among others, are leading a comprehensive and collaborative plan to respond to the health care workforce crisis. Cross-secretariat strategies will focus on several approaches, including the creation of career pathways to professionalize and elevate certain roles within the health and human services workforce and expanding the pipeline of available workers by addressing financial, training, and credentialing barriers for workforce entry and career progression. EOHHS and the Workforce Skills Cabinet have prioritized nursing, direct care, and behavioral health roles (inclusive of mental health and substance use disorder treatment providers) for these efforts. The purpose of the FY25 Accountable Care Organization (ACO) and Hospital Workforce Education and Training Grant Program (“the Program”) is to provide one-time grants to bolster the ACO, Acute Care Hospital, and affiliated hospital health care provider workforce.
