Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced earlier this week a $6 million in WisCaregiver Careers, a workforce development program administered by WHCA and LeadingAge Wisconsin designed to address the CNA shortage in Wisconsin nursing homes by providing free training, free certification testing, and $500 caregiver bonuses.

“Across Wisconsin, a strong healthcare and long-term care provider workforce is essential to the health of our entire state,” said Gov. Evers in a press release. “With an aging population, Wisconsin has been facing a healthcare workforce shortage for years—a challenge the COVID-19 pandemic only further underscored—and this funding will support a real solution to the state’s healthcare staffing needs that will benefit our entire state well beyond this pandemic.”

WisCaregiver Careers started in 2018 as a successful DHS pilot policy initiative. In 2020, DHS forged its private-public partnership with WHCA and LeadingAge Wisconsin. Under this partnership, which is currently operating under a $400,000 DWD Fast Forward grant, WHCA and LeadingAge Wisconsin work together to administer the program, while DHS provides technical guidance and support. Now in 2022, the program partners are seeking to build on the program’s successes and lessons learned with new funding that opens 3,000 additional training slots statewide.

“WisCaregiver Careers is a great example of an effective public-private partnership. The associations are deeply appreciative of Governor Evers and Secretary Timberlake for investing $6 million in WisCaregiver Careers to address the workforce crisis in long-term care,” said Kate Battiato, WHCA Director of Workforce Development and WisCaregiver Careers Program Manager. “On behalf of Wisconsin’s long-term care community, thank you for supporting our employers and expanding access to CNA training across the state.”

For more information about the program, please visit wiscaregiver.com!