Conference in Richmond kicks off new initiative to help Virginia veterans with healthcare experience and training pursue civilian careers
Claude Moore Opportunities today hosted a statewide summit in Richmond to kick off its new initiative to help Virginia veterans and military medics transition into civilian healthcare careers. The day-long summit included presentations and panel discussions from experts in the fields of veteran/civilian transition, healthcare workforce development, and education, as well as small-group strategy sessions to identify barriers to employment and suggest ways to facilitate veterans’ transition to civilian healthcare careers.
“Virginia has two workforce challenges that are serious but not new: we don’t have enough healthcare workers to serve our citizens, and our well-trained veterans face unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles when seeking employment, especially in the health sciences,” said Dr. Bill Hazel, CEO of Claude Moore Opportunities. “As part of our statewide work to address Virginia’s healthcare workforce shortage, Claude Moore is launching a new initiative to identify and remove obstacles to healthcare employment for our veterans, military medics, and hospital corpsmen. Whether it’s doing a better job matching military training with civilian credentials, or finding ways for veterans to begin working and earning a paycheck while completing licensure requirements, we’re going to work with partners from around the state to improve the way Virginia taps into this incredible talent pool.”
“I personally understand the challenges for medics and corpsmen trying to transition from military service to a civilian healthcare career,” said Antwon Jacobs, Program Manager of the Military Medics and Corpsman Program at the Virginia Department of Veterans Services. “Despite their skills and training, too many veterans end up having to take lower-paying jobs, jobs they are overqualified for, or go back to school for additional training. These men and women have all the skills employers may need. The challenge now is helping them quickly and easily secure the credentials and certifications they need to contribute to the civilian workforce and support themselves and their families.”
Today’s summit, which was supported by a $10,000 grant from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, focused specifically on developing career pathways and removing barriers to employment for military medics and hospital corpsmen who leave the service with significant healthcare experience and training, but may lack the required credentials and licenses to work in civilian healthcare.
Featured speakers included Keith Hall from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Medical Education and Training Campus in San Antonio, Texas, Antwon Jacobs from the Virginia Department of Veterans Services Military Medics and Corpsman Program, Blake Bourne from Veterans Bridge Home, and Dr. Art Kellermann, Senior Advisor for the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority among other experts.
Following today’s summit and strategy session, Claude Moore will develop a strategic plan that identifies the most significant barriers to civilian healthcare employment for veterans and suggests policies and programs that can get more veterans working in fulfilling healthcare careers in an easier and faster way.
Virginia faces a growing healthcare workforce shortage, particularly in the positions that make the healthcare system function such as nurses, technicians, therapists, and aides. The Commonwealth is also home to nearly 700,000 military veterans as well as their spouses and families. By identifying and eliminating barriers to entry in healthcare industries, Virginia can help meet the needs of a growing and aging population while allowing more veterans to pursue family-sustaining healthcare careers that match their skills, training, and experience.
According to a comprehensive 2023 study for the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority, 102 of Virginia’s 133 localities are federally designated “Health Professional Shortage Areas” and 93 localities are “Mental Healthcare Professional Shortage Areas,” meaning about one-third of Virginians live in a community without enough primary and behavioral healthcare providers.
About Claude Moore Opportunities
Launched in 2024, Claude Moore Opportunities is a new 501(c)3 public nonprofit organization that will raise and distribute philanthropic funds to support regional and collaborative efforts to expand Virginia’s healthcare workforce and create family-sustaining career opportunities. The independent organization is led by CEO Dr. Bill Hazel, Jr., former Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources under Governors Bob McDonnell and Terry McAuliffe, and governed by an executive board of notable civic, philanthropic, and healthcare leaders from around Virginia. Claude Moore Opportunities will build on the 20 years of healthcare workforce development efforts by the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, which has invested more than $24 million to enable thousands of Virginians to receive healthcare workforce training and credentials through strategic partnerships with public school systems around the state, the Virginia Community College System, George Mason University, INOVA Health System, the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and the Blue Ridge Partnership for Health Science Careers, among others.
