More than 40 NH Health Care Organizations Urge Lawmakers to Address Workforce Shortages

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Senate Hearing on SB 403 scheduled for Wednesday morning

CONCORD, NH – This afternoon, the New Hampshire Health Care Workforce Coalition, a statewide collection of more than 40 provider organizations and advocacy groups, called on lawmakers to help address the ongoing workforce crisis and increase access to care for all Granite Staters by supporting Senate Bill 403.

Originally formed in 2018, the Coalition has worked for years to increase state investments in the health care workforce to meet the health needs of Granite State residents.  This year, the group is urging the Legislature to pass SB 403 to help strengthen pipeline development to help train and prepare enough health care workers to meet the needs of New Hampshire patients.

SB 403 is scheduled for a public hearing Wednesday morning, 9:30 a.m. in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

“The critical need to address the workforce shortage still exists,” Coalition members, including Bi-State Primary Care Association, the N.H. Community Behavioral Health Association, the New Hampshire Hospital Association, and many others, wrote in a letter sent to Senate committee members.  “There have been great strides made since 2019 to move New Hampshire forward … But it is clear that development of the health care workforce pipeline still needs to be addressed.”

Among other provisions, SB 403 proposes to strengthen the workforce pipeline by:

  • Developing community-based training programs, including middle school, high school and advanced level trainings, in rural and underserved parts of the state
  • Creating a voluntary certification program for Community Health Workers
  • Establishing a rural residency program for family medicine in New Hampshire’s North Country
  • Expanding student loan repayment to bachelor’s level medical staff, including case managers working in primary care and mental health

The letter, which is available here, was sent by the following organizations:

Alzheimer’s Association, MA/NH Chapter
Ascentria Care Alliance

Bi-State Primary Care Association

Center for Life Management

Community Partners

Community Support Network, Inc.

Disability Rights Center

Granite State Home Health & Hospice Association

Greater Nashua Mental Health Center

HealthForce NH

Lakes Region Mental Health Center

LeadingAge Maine & New Hampshire

Meals on Wheels New Hampshire

Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester

Monadnock Family Services

NAMI-NH

Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services

National Association of Social Workers, NH Chapter

New Futures

NH Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselors Association

NH Association of Nurse Anesthesiology

NH Association of Residential Care Homes

NH Community Behavioral Health Association

New Hampshire Dental Hygienists Association

NH Health Care Association

New Hampshire Hospital Association

NH Hunger Solutions

NH Medical Society

New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner Association

New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition

New Hampshire Public Health Association

Northern Human Services

St. Joseph School of Nursing

Seacoast Mental Health Center

Southern NH AHEC

Riverbend Community Mental Health

Rivier University, Division of Nursing and Health Professions

Waypoint

West Central Behavioral Health

UNH System

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The New Hampshire Health Care Workforce Coalition is a broad stakeholder group that works together to develop policy solutions to key challenges that impact access to health care in New Hampshire. Learn more at investinnhhealth.org.

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