Contact:
Kate Battiato
WHCA/WiCAL
608-260-5865
Providers Thank Legislature, Governor Evers for Meaningful Investment in CNA Workforce
MADISON –Wisconsin’s nursing home community applauded Governor Evers and the Legislature for investing $2 million in WisCaregiver Careers through the recently enacted state budget. WisCaregiver Careers is Wisconsin’s widely recognized workforce development program that seeks to address the certified nurse aide (CNA) shortage by providing free CNA training, free certification testing, and $500 bonuses for anyone wishing to become a CNA in a Wisconsin nursing home.
The program is administered through a public-private partnership between the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) and the state’s two trade groups representing nursing home providers, the Wisconsin Health Care Association (WHCA) and LeadingAge Wisconsin.
“We’d like to thank both Governor Evers and the State Legislature for their continued support of WisCaregiver Careers,” said Rick Abrams, CEO of WHCA. “We appreciate that they’re monitoring what works when it comes to solving our healthcare workforce crisis and putting our state resources behind programs that show results.”
Since July 2022, 924 people have completed CNA training through the program, 722 of whom have achieved CNA certification. All participants work in Wisconsin nursing homes and 302 program participants have received a $500 6-month retention bonus funded by the program. In the same period, the program’s statewide media campaign resulted in 6,755 program registrations.
“This funding not only invests in Wisconsin’s workforce, it will improve the lives of our nursing home residents who depend on their care,” said Jim Orheim, CEO of LeadingAge Wisconsin. Adding that 80 to 90 percent of the hands-on care at nursing homes is provided by CNAs. “We heard from the start that this year’s budget was going to be “the workforce budget” and both Governor Evers and the Legislature delivered.”
Details on the program can be found at wiscaregivercna.com.
