On Friday, January 15, 2021, the U. S. Department of Labor announced that approximately $40 million in H-1B Rural Healthcare Grant Program funds have been awarded to public and private entities to address rural health care workforce shortages in communities across the country. The Western Indiana Workforce Development Board was part of a nine board coalition across Indiana that submitted a proposal and was awarded a total of nearly 2.5 million dollars for use statewide. The Lafayette-based Tecumseh Area Partnership will serve as the grant recipient and fiscal agent for the coalition. This statewide proposal was one of fewer than 20 awarded throughout the U.S. Approximately $250,000.00 of the statewide award will go to the Western Indiana Workforce Development Board in order to implement the grant locally.
The coronavirus pandemic has increased the need for healthcare workers, particularly in rural areas where the need was already acute. The aim of this funding is to increase the number of individuals trained in healthcare occupations that directly impact patient care and alleviate health care workforce shortages by creating sustainable employment and training programs in health care occupations serving rural populations.
“Numerous people throughout the six counties that compose Region 7 are trained annually in healthcare fields with support from WorkOne West. This grant will serve to expand on-going conversations with local health care providers and training entities in order to identify unique ways of incorporating new and emerging technologies, such as interactive simulations and personalized and virtual instruction,” said Rick Burger, president of the Western Indiana Workforce Development Board.