HAP Resource Center

Joint Advocacy Correspondence: Governor Shapiro, Addressing PA's Workforce Challenges

Dear Governor Shapiro:

The undersigned organizations urge you to establish, via executive order, the Governor’s Office of Health Workforce Innovation and Reform to address the Commonwealth’s health care workforce crises.

A 2021 U.S. Healthcare Labor Market Report from Mercer examined the health care labor market over the next five to 10 years and found Pennsylvania to be among the states that will experience the greatest shortages of registered nurses, mental health workers, and nursing support staff. Among the commonwealth’s 67 counties, 63 are entirely or partially primary care health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) and 53 are entirely or partially mental health HPSAs.

Specifically, Pennsylvania is projected to have a deficit of more than 277,711 health care workers, such as medical assistants, home health aides, and nursing assistants by 2026.

Pennsylvania also is projected to have a shortfall of 20,345 registered nurses by 2026, the largest in the nation. Health care professionals also are leaving the workforce in record numbers and there is extraordinary strain on the number of well-trained medical professionals to care for those needing health care. The scope and extent of this crisis is extraordinary, and urgent action is necessary to address it.

Your administration has an opportunity to join other states in establishing a Governor-led effort to develop strategies to address the commonwealth’s short-term and long-term health care workforce; assess current and projected workforce needs; establish a health care data center; coordinate workforce-related policies, programs, and initiatives across agencies; and facilitate the talent pipeline of a diverse and culturally competent workforce.

The attached draft executive order provides suggested elements of this effort, including the establishment of the Governor’s Office of Health Workforce Innovation and Reform, as well as the creation of the Governor’s Health Workforce Reform Cabinet and Advisory Council. The effort must be led by an experienced Director, with sufficient experience and delegated authority to succeed in this effort.

As reflected by the scope and extent of the signatories of this letter, there is enormous support for your leadership to establish a structure to address Pennsylvania’s health care workforce challenges, reach a consensus on necessary bi-partisan policy solutions, and drive progress. The Governor’s Office of Health Workforce Innovation and Reform, if launched this summer, can be tasked with the responsibility to develop a strategic plan by the end of the year, along with specific policy recommendations and budget priorities.

Pennsylvania needs your leadership to address this crisis, and we stand ready to work with you, the legislature, and other policymakers to prioritize the health care talent infrastructure, support health care workers, strengthen the health care community, and ensure that high-quality care remains available to all Pennsylvanians.

Sincerely,

 

1889 Foundation
Susan Mann
President

AccessMatters
Audrey Ross
Senior Manager, Communications and Policy

Alianzas de Phoenixville
Nina Guzman
Executive Director

Alternative Community Resource Program, Inc. (ACRP)
Frank Janakovic
Executive Director

Alzheimer's Association
Jennifer Ebersole
Director of State Government Affairs

Ambulance Association of Pennsylvania
Heather Sharar
Executive Director

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Pennsylvania
Teresa Osborne
State Advocacy Director

Ann's Heart
Kristen McGee
Executive Director

Anthracite Regional Center for Independent Living (ARCIL)
Denise Corcoran
Executive Director

Anthracite Regional Center for Independent Living (ARCIL)
Geysa Rodriguez
IL Skills Director

APTA Pennsylvania, A Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association
Scott Voshell
President

Art As Social Inquiry
Theresa Browngold
Founder/Artist

Baker Industries
Rich Bevan
President

Barnstone Art for Kids
Sean Halloran
Executive Director

Berks County Community Foundation
Monica Reyes
Vice President for Programs and Initiatives

Blue Mountain Escape Inc.
Stacy Nazay
Executive Director

Bucks County Center for Independent Living
Seth Hoderewski
Acting Executive Director

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership
Kimberly Everett
Executive Director

Bucks County Women's Advocacy Coalition
Tam StClaire
President Emerita

Buhl Regional Health Foundation
Jennifer Barborak
Executive Director

Camphill Village Kimberton Hills
Robert Martin
Director of Development

Capacity for Change, LLC
Jason Alexander
Principal

Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of Elders (CARIE)
Kathy Cubit
Advocacy Manager

Center for Independent Living Opportunities
Hillary Hasson
Executive Director

Center for Population Health
Jeannine McMillan
Executive Director

Centre Care Rehabilitation and Wellness Services
Felicia Heaton
Assistant Administrator

Clarion Area Agency on Aging
Marcella Dill
Executive Director

Color & Culture
George Fernandez
Chief Executive Officer

Community College of Philadelphia
Barbara McLaughlin
Head, Department of Nursing

Community Foundation for the Alleghenies
Mike Kane
President

Consumer Workforce Council of Pennsylvania
Guy Anthony K. Brooks
President

CoreCare Systems, Inc.
Rose DiOttavio
President/CEO

Crescendo Phoenixville
Elizabeth Grimshaw
Founder and Executive Director

Daemion Counseling Center
Kaitlen Langerhans
Executive Director

Disability Empowerment Center
Jaclyn Nagle
Executive Director

Disability Pride PA
Vicki Landers
Founder & Executive Director

Disability Rights Pennsylvania
Peri Jude Radecic
Chief Executive Officer

Disabled in Action
Lauren Alden
Board Member

Domestic Violence Center
Dolly Wideman-Scott
Chief Executive Officer

Drexel University
Kymberlee Montgomery
Vice Dean, Nursing and Student Affairs

Eastern Pennsylvania Geriatrics Society
Brian Duke
President

Episcopal Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen
Rebecca Myers
Rector

Family Promise of the Main Line
Susannah Coleman
Interim Executive Director

Family Service of Chester County
Mark Butler
Executive Director

FISA Foundation
Kristy Trautmann
Executive Director

Foundation for Health Equity
Bethany Flood
Executive Director

Free Clinic Association of Pennsylvania
Kristen Rapp
Executive Director

Good Samaritan Services
Stephanie Washington
Resource Coordinator

Good Samaritan Services / Lancaster
Christine Hibbert
Resource Coordinator

Good Samaritan Services / Phoenixville
Richard Baxter
Lead Resource Coordinator

Health Care Access
Renae Bierer
Executive Director

HealthSpark Foundation
Emma Hertz
President, CEO

Highmark Wholecare
Joseph Glinka
Director, HealthChoices

Hope Station
Safronia Perry
Executive Director

HopePHL
Kathy Desmond
President

Housing Authority of Chester County
Steven Wayock
Director of Special Programs

HUNE
Luz Hernandez
Executive Director

Hyndman Area Health Center
Brian Stratta
Chief Executive Officer / Chief Medical Officer

Independence Foundation
Phyllis Beck
Board Chair

Indian Creek Foundation
Susan Guida
Director of Nursing

J Badger Consulting Inc
Josie Badger
President

Jewish Healthcare Foundation
Karen Feinstein
President and CEO

Jewish Women's Foundation of Greater Pittsburgh
Judy Greenwald
Cohen Executive Director

Kate's Casa
Kate Camarda
Executive Director

La Salle University
Kathleen Czekanski
Dean and Professor, School of Nursing and Health Sciences

LeadingAge PA
Garry Pezzano
President & CEO

Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living (LVCIL)
Amy Beck
Executive Director

Liberty Community Connections
Nicole Melber
Executive Director

Liberty Resources (Phila CIL)
Thomas Earle
CEO

Life and Independence for Today
Robert Mecca
Executive Director

Lutheran Home at Kane
Marie Goode
Director of Nursing

Luthercare
Carl McAloose
President & Chief Executive Officer

Maternity Care Coalition (MCC)
Marianne Fray
CEO

Mental Health America of Lancaster County
Kydonia McDevitt
Executive Director

Mental Health America of Lancaster County
Shelby Witmer
Family and Child Services Coordinator

Mental Health America of Southwestern PA
Laurie Barnett Levine
CEO

Mental Health Association in PA
Laurie Barnett Levine
Board Vice President

Mom's House Inc of Greater Philadelphia
Wendy McKeon
Executive Director

Moses Taylor Foundation
Danielle Breslin
President and CEO

National Association of Social Workers, Pennsylvania Chapter (NASW-PA)
Johanna Byrd
Executive Director

National Nurse-Led Care Consortium
Sarah Hexem Hubbard
Executive Director

Neighbors Helping Neighbors on the Main Line
Muneera Walker
Executive Director

New Directions Treatment Services (NDTS)
Margaret Desmond
Executive Director

Orion Communities
Keith Burress
Board President

Orion Communities
Kris Keller
Executive Director

PA Ambulatory Surgery Association (PASA)
Connie Haas
CEO

PA Association of Community Health Centers
Cheri Rinehart
President and CEO

PA Association of Home and Community Based Service Providers
Ted Mowatt
Executive Director

PA Chapter of the American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (PA ADAPT)
Pam Auer
Organizer

PA Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Annette Myarick
Executive Director

PA Chapter, American College of Physicians
Ibrahim Ghobrial, MBBCh
President

PA Health Funders Collaborative
Ann Torregrossa
Director

PA Home of the Sparrow
Michelle Venema
CEO

PA Homecare Association
Katie Dotto
Director - Government Relations

PA House of Representatives
Joe Webster
Representative

PA Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (PAMCO)
Emily Katz
Executive Director

PA Rheumatology Society
Dr. Michael Borofsky
Advocacy Committee Chairman

PA Statewide Independent Living Council (PA SILC)
Matthew Seeley
Executive Director

ParentChild+
Malkia Ofori-Agyekum
Pennsylvania State Director

Partnership for Better Health
Carol Thornton
Director of Grants & Public Policy

Penn Medicine/LGH
Tracey Lavallias
Executive Director

Penn Psychiatric Center
Christopher Carbo
Director of Programs

Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing
Laurie Badzek
Dean and Professor

Pennsylvania Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants
Brienne Seekford
President

Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians
Brent Ennis
Executive Vice President & CEO

Pennsylvania Action Coalition
Jennifer Horn Gimbel
Director

Pennsylvania Ambulatory Surgery Association (PASA)
Melanie Greene
Executive Director

Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Laura Wiggins, DNP, CRNA
President

Pennsylvania Association of School Nurses and Practitioners (PASNAP)
Valerie Zanotti
Certified School Nurse

Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers' Society
Nicole Cattano
President

Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association
Keith Miller, DC
President

Pennsylvania Coalition for Oral Health
Helen Hawkey
Executive Director

Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners
Peggy Pearl
Executive Director

Pennsylvania College of Emergency Physicians
Jan Reisinger
Executive Director

Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences
Melissa Snyder
Dean of Nursing

Pennsylvania Council on Independent Living
Michael Grier
Executive Director

Pennsylvania Dental Association
Marisa Swarney
Director of Government Relations

Pennsylvania Geriatrics Society-Western Division
Eileen Taylor
Administrator

Pennsylvania Health Access Network
Patrick Keenan
Director of Policy & Partnerships

Pennsylvania Health Care Association
Tim Ward
Director of Government Affairs

Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Amy Lowenstein
Director of Policy

Pennsylvania Home of the Sparrow
Michelle Venema
CEO

Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED)
David Thompson
Senior Director, Legislative Affairs

Pennsylvania Optometric Association
Jesse Jones, OD
President

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children
Kari King
President and CEO

Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association
Victoria Elliott
Chief Executive Officer

Pennsylvania Psychiatric Leadership Council
Lloyd Wertz
Administrator

Pennsylvania Psychological Association
Rachael Baturin
Director of Government, Legal and Regulatory Affairs

Pennsylvania Resident
Abby Keiser
Community Member

Pennsylvania Resident
Ann Kolanowski PhD, RN, FAAN
Professor Emerita, Retired

Pennsylvania Resident
Bruria Tal
Researcher

Pennsylvania Resident
Daniel Haimowitz
Multi-facility Medical Director

Pennsylvania Resident
Diana Doherty
Executive Director of VNA Foundation of Greater North Penn

Pennsylvania Resident
Erin Doyle-O'Connor

Pennsylvania Resident
Jo-Ann Zajackowski

Pennsylvania Resident
Jody Saitsky

Pennsylvania Resident
Keyerra Charles

Pennsylvania Resident
Lori Obrien
Service Coordinator

Pennsylvania Resident
Lori Warren
Senior Family Peer Support Partner at Hopeworx

Pennsylvania Resident
Marie Boltz
Professor

Pennsylvania Resident
Mark Edwards
Advocate

Pennsylvania Resident
Mary McKenna
Retired Educator

Pennsylvania Resident
Mary Harper

Pennsylvania Resident
Mary Ann Nagel
Medical Social Work

Pennsylvania Resident
Meaghan Conlisk
Board Member for the Foundation for Health Equity

Pennsylvania Resident
Milagros Abreu
Advocate, Turning Point of Lehigh Valley

Pennsylvania Resident
Nancy Hodgson
Professor of Nursing at University of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Resident
Paul Winkler
Retired Healthcare CEO

Pennsylvania Resident
Rabbi Robert Tabak
Retired Hospital Chaplain

Pennsylvania Resident
Sebastian Lacy
VP Equity & Culture, Young Women's Chrisitan Association (YWCA) Greater Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania Resident
Terri Greenberg

Pennsylvania Resident
Yulanda Myers
Peer Support Specialist CRS, CFRS, SBFW

Pennsylvania Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Annmarie Whalen
Executive Director

Pennsylvania Society of Anesthesiologists
Lauren Martini
Executive Director

Pennsylvania Society of Health-System Pharmacists
Larry Jones
Executive Director

Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants
Rob Ross
President

Pennsylvania State Nurses Association
Wayne Reich
Chief Executive Officer

Petra Community Housing
Beverly Dalton
Resident Services Coordinator

Philabundance
Loree Jones Brown
CEO

Philadelphia Health Partnership
Ann Marie Healy
Executive Director

Phoenixville Area Community Services (PACS)
Mary Fuller
President

Phoenixville Area Positive Alternatives
Alexis Son
Executive Director

Phoenixville Area School District
Alan Fegley
Superintendent of Schools

Phoenixville Community Health Foundation
Julian McCracken
Board Member

Phoenixville Community Health Foundation
Tamela Luce
President/CEO

Phoenixville Police Department
Brain Marshall
Chief of Police

Phoenixville Women's Outreach
Andrea Blue
Executive Director

Pioneer Network
Penny Cook
President and CEO

Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation
Dave Kraybill
President

Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities (PCRC)
Jenn Brown
Sr Director, Program Services

Pottstown Hospital
Richard Newell
CEO

Presbyterian SeniorCare Network
Jim Pieffer
President & CEO

Project Home Healthcare Services
Bill (William) Kurtycz
VP

Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC)
Malcolm Yates
Director of Government Relations

Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association (RCPA)
Richard S. Edley, PhD
President/CEO

Roads to Freedom Center for Independent Living (RTFCIL) of North Central PA
Misty Dion
CEO

Saint Francis University
Rita Trofino
Associate Dean, School of Health Sciences & Education; Professor and Nursing Department Chair

Self Advocates United As 1 (SAU1)
Alexa Brill
Board President

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Pennsylvania
Matt Yarnell
President

Seton Hill University
Diane Kondas
Nursing Program Director

Shiloh Evangelical Lutheran Church
DeAnn Books
Pastor

Small Things Philly, Inc.
Lauren Faux
Programs Manager

Spina Bifida Association
Sara Struwe
President & CEO

SpiriTrust Lutheran
Robert Rundle
President/CEO

St Peters Episcopal Church
Gary Russell
Director Food Program, St. Peter's Episcopal Church

Staunton Farm Foundation
Joni Schwager
Executive Director

Strategic Communications & Planning, Inc
John Beilenson
President

The Alliance for Health Equity
Kevin Ressler
CEO/President

The Clinic
Christi Seidel
Executive Director

The Foundation for Delaware County
Joanne Craig
Chief Impact Officer

The Green House Project
Susan Ryan
CEO

The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania
Nicole Stallings
President and CEO

The John A. Hartford Foundation
Terry Fulmer
President

The Midwife Center for Birth & Women's Health
Christine Haas
Executive Director

The Phoenixville Community Health Foundation
Jeanette Hall
Director of Finance and Operations

The Pittsburgh Foundation
Lisa Schroeder
President & CEO

The Renaissance Center For Plastic Surgery
Susan Collini
Administrative & Facility Director

Thomas Jefferson University - College of Nursing
Marie Ann Marino
Dean and Professor

Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation
Joseph Pyle
President

Tomorrows Neighbors
Kurt Danysh
Executive Director

Touchstone Foundation
Anna Kennedy
Executive Director

Trellis for Tomorrow
Jennifer Anderson
Executive Director

Trinity
Donna Raziano
Medical Director

United Way of Southwestern PA
Bobbi Watt Geer
President & CEO

United Way of the Laurel Highlands
Karen Struble Myers
President & CEO

University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Antonia Villarruel
Professor and Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)
John Galley
Chief Human Resources Officer

University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work
Betsy Farmer
Dean

University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work
Daniel Rosen
Professor and Director of Integrated Healthcare Certificate

Valley Forge Park Alliance
Molly Duffy
Executive Director

Villanova University College of Nursing
Donna Havens
Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor

VNA Community Services, Inc.
Sandra Devine Saia
Director, Personal Navigator & SOAR

Wesley Enhanced Living Main Line
Daniel Hood
Executive Director

Wesley Enhanced Living Main Line
Kim Ratliff
Director of Nursing

West Chester University
Nancy Barker
Nursing Chair

Why Not Prosper Inc.
Michelle Simmons
CEO/Founder

Widener University
Anne Krouse
Dean

Wings for Success
Jill Laufenberg
Executive Director

Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) Greater Pittsburgh
Angela Reynolds
CEO

 

 

 

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Topics: State Advocacy, Workforce

Revision Date: 7/20/2023

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