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Kentucky CPE awards $11.8M in Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund dollars to postsecondary healthcare training programs

By
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, Press Release

The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) awarded $11.8 million in matching dollars to 33 eligible postsecondary healthcare programs offered by 19 education and training providers, in partnership with regional employers.

The awards were announced Wednesday in Lexington as part of CPE’s Healthcare Workforce Collaboratory event, attended by nearly 200 healthcare representatives from across the Commonwealth.

Monies were made possible by state appropriations to the Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund (HWIF), enacted by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2023. A majority of the fund supports scholarships for students enrolled in targeted programs in areas of critical workforce need, while the remainder rewards innovation and excellence among professional healthcare education and training programs.

To be eligible, postsecondary programs must partner with one or more healthcare employers, who pledge a dollar amount to be matched by the HWIF. Students who receive partnership-funded scholarships will be required to practice in Kentucky in their specialty area for each year of financial support they receive, not to exceed two years. Eastern Kentucky University’s School of Nursing was the only program to receive an incentive fund award, thanks to a $75,000 contribution from Humana.

“The awards we announced today are a win-win for Kentucky’s students, employers and patients,” said CPE President Aaron Thompson, who was on hand to recognize recipients. “This innovative, public-private partnership will go a long way toward strengthening the state’s healthcare workforce, alleviating critical shortages in certain regions and areas of practice, and helping the state achieve better health outcomes overall.”

The award recipients with their partners are listed below.

Bellarmine University: $1,000,000
• with Anesthesia Services of Kentucky, PLCC (nurse anesthesia)

Big Sandy Community and Technical College: $130,000
• with Pikeville Medical Center - $60,000 (nursing)
• with Appalachian Regional Healthcare - $70,000 (nursing)

Bluegrass Community and Technical College: $11,474
• with Boyle County EMS (paramedicine)

Bridge Valley Community and Technical College: $60,000
• with Rowan County EMS (emergency medical services)

Campbellsville University: $45,000
• with Taylor Regional Health - $15,000 (radiography)
• with Taylor Regional Health - $30,000 (nursing)

Central Kentucky Paramedic Education Consortium: $11,214
• with Jessamine County EMS (paramedicine)

Eastern Kentucky University: $150,000
• with Humana (nursing)

Hazard Community and Technical College: $140,000
• with Appalachian Regional Healthcare - $35,000 (licensed practical nursing)
• with Appalachian Regional Healthcare - $35,000 (nuclear medicine imaging)
• with Appalachian Regional Healthcare - $70,000 (nursing)

Hopkinsville/Christian County Paramedic Program: $95,556
• With Ambulance Service Corporation, Barren-Metcalfe EMS (emergency medicine)

Maysville Community and Technical College: $220,000
• with University of Kentucky St. Claire - $100,000 (respiratory therapy)
• with University of Kentucky St. Claire - $120,000 (physical therapy assistant)

Midway University: $80,000
• with CHI St. Joseph Health (nursing)

Morehead State University: $100,000
• with CHI St. Joseph Health (nursing)

Northern Kentucky University: $2,120,000
• with Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky - $100,000 (social work)
• with OrthoCincy Orthopedics and Sports Medicine - $20,000 (radiologic science)
• with Elizabeth Healthcare - $1,000,000 (nursing)
• with Elizabeth Healthcare - $700,000 (radiologic science)
• with Elizabeth Healthcare - $300,000 (respiratory care)

Owensboro Community and Technical College: $150,000
• with Owensboro Health (radiography)

Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College: $780,000
• with Med Center Health - $170,000 (nursing)
• with Med Center Health - $10,000 (radiography)
• with TJ Samson Regional Health - $450,000 (nursing)
• with TJ Samson Regional Health - $150,000 (licensed practical nursing)

Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College: $91,000
• with Appalachian Regional Healthcare - $21,000 (physical therapy assistant)
• with Appalachian Regional Healthcare – $70,000 (nursing)

University of Pikeville: $98,000
• with Pikeville Medical Center (nursing)

University of Louisville: $4,880,000
• with UofL Health and Owensboro Health (nursing)

Western Kentucky University: $1,592,464
• with Baptist Health Hardin, Med Center Health, Owensboro Health and TJ Samson Regional Health - $994,268 (nursing)
• with LifeSkills, Inc. - $147,012 (social work)
• with Baptist Health Hardin, Graves Gilbert Clinic, LifeSkills, Inc. and TJ Samson Regional Health - $451,184 (social work).

The Council on Postsecondary Education is leading transformation in our workforce, economy and quality of life by advancing progress in educational attainment across Kentucky. As the state’s higher education coordinating agency, we champion high-quality, inclusive and affordable postsecondary opportunities that prepare students for civic engagement and sustainable careers. That’s why we are undertaking the 60x30 goal, an ambitious effort to raise the percentage of working-age Kentuckians with a postsecondary degree or certificate to 60 percent by the year 2030. At CPE, we believe that higher education matters – for everyone.

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