As part of a statewide initiative called the Virginia Partnership for Health Science Careers, a new regional partnership in Northern Virginia will bring together schools, hospitals, healthcare providers, and workforce development professionals from the public and private sectors to expand the area’s healthcare workforce, create meaningful career opportunities, and meet the needs of communities throughout Northern Virginia.
The partnership will work to implement “Collaborating to Address Regional Workforce Challenges: A Roadmap,” developed by Claude Moore Opportunities to establish and operate regional, employer-engaged workforce development collaboratives around the commonwealth to address shortages of nurses, medical and health services managers, social and human service assistants, radiologic technologists and technicians, physical therapists, personal care aides, mental health and substance abuse social workers, and nursing assistants.
The Northern Virginia healthcare workforce partnership will be coordinated by Marc Bailey of Inova and will include participation by Inova, VHC Health, CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, Sunrise Senior Living, Sentara, HCA, Virginia Career Works Northern Region, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, Northern Virginia Community College, George Mason University, Marymount University, and K-12 school systems around the region.
Claude Moore Charitable Foundation has provided funding to support the regional coordinator position in Northern Virginia, helped convene the regional stakeholders and provided financial support for healthcare workforce development programs throughout the region. Also, its partners at the George Mason University Center for Health Workforce have provided data on current and expected healthcare workforce shortages in the region.
“At Claude Moore, we believe that coordinated, regional partnerships are the most promising approach for creating meaningful career opportunities while meeting the healthcare needs of our citizens and strengthening regional economies throughout Virginia,” stated Dr. Bill Hazel, CEO of Claude Moore Opportunities. “We are proud to be part of a true collaborative effort that builds on the work that local officials have been doing for years, and look forward to the positive impact that this partnership will have on families and communities throughout the region.”
Bailey said the Northern Virginia Health Care Workforce Collaborative will work to develop interest and opportunities to explore healthcare careers.
“By building pathways and providing educational experiences people can learn about a wide range of opportunities that a career in healthcare can offer. Using a focused approach, the NVHWC works together to identify and resolve issues that often hinder or stop an individual from either entering the field of healthcare or opting to advance their career,” Bailey stated.
In addition to Northern Virginia, partnerships have been established in each region of the state and will focus on the careers that create strong, accessible medical, dental, and behavioral/mental health systems such as technicians, assistants, and aides, with an emphasis on the positions that community leaders and healthcare providers identify as most critical for their region.
