Austin A. Davis 35th Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Department Of Education
Officials from the Departments of Health, Labor and Industry, and Human Services will join leaders from HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, to discuss Governor Josh Shapiro's proposed 2025-26 budget. This event coincides with National Student Nurse Day and aims to address the state's nursing shortage by highlighting efforts to recruit and retain nurses in Pennsylvania.
Governor Shapiro's budget proposal includes significant investments in expanding the healthcare workforce. It features $5 million for the Department of Health's Primary Care Loan Repayment Program and an additional $5 million for a new Nurse Shortage Assistance Program. This program is designed to provide funding for organizations that collaborate with hospitals and nursing schools, offering student loan repayment to nursing students who agree to work at Pennsylvania hospitals for three years after graduation.
The event will feature several key figures: Nancy A. Walker, Secretary of the Department of Labor and Industry; Dr. Robert Bonacci, Special Advisor at the Department of Health; Sally Kozak, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Human Services; John J. "Ski" Sygielski, President and CEO of HACC; and Cynthia L. Donell, Associate Dean at HACC School of Health Science.
Scheduled for Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 2:00 PM, the event will take place at HACC's Harrisburg Campus in the Select Medical Health Education Pavilion.
Media interested in attending are required to RSVP by contacting ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov with their details.
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