Capital Area Healthcare Partnership

A huge thank you to all who planned this event, to those who sponsored it, and to those who attended. As was mentioned at the event, this conversation will continue. We are excited to share that some of the attendees are interested in joining the discussion around next steps. That is fantastic! During the UNconference, we received valuable input from the high school students and have reconnected with several of them. We’ll be meeting with them in early December to explore their thoughts and expectations about pursuing a career in healthcare in greater depth.

Come celebrate and collaborate!

The first quarterly meeting of the Capital Area Healthcare Partnership (a Healthcare Regional Sector Partnership) is quickly approaching! Join us on Thursday, March 28th from 9a-11a at The Village for Families and Children, the Trumbull Robinson Auditorium at 1680 Albany Avenue, Hartford. There is a packed agenda that includes the sharing of events being planned that will help healthcare employers grow their workforce, critical work the actions teams have been doing since December 2023, thoughts around the development of a new action team focused on internship/apprenticeship programs, and more. As of today, 51 amazing healthcare employers and public partners have responded that they will be at the table next week. If you are interested in joining this meeting, or hearing more about the partnership, please contact the co-conveners, Maureen Jenks, RN, MBA, Business Partnership Coordinator for Healthcare at Capital Workforce Partners ([email protected]) or Tiffany Morrissey, MPH, Executive Director at the Connecticut Health Council ([email protected]) for more information. The Capital Area Healthcare Partnership: Mission: To increase the stability of the healthcare industry as a critical economic driver and improve outcomes through collaborative strategies.? ? Operating Principles: Work collaboratively to: ·??????Build synergy, not siloes ·??????Leverage, not duplicate ·??????Increase communication driving effective action ·??????Get things done!

The first 2024 quarterly meeting of the Capital Area Healthcare Partnership is scheduled for Thursday, March 28th from 9am-11am. The meeting will be held at The Village for Families and Children in the Trumbull Robinson Auditorium, 1680 Albany Avenue, Hartford. A light breakfast will be served. As always, there will be a packed agenda and the time goes by quickly! You can expect to hear from CT State who will do a brief presentation on Micro-credentials developed in partnership with employer partners to address skill gaps of entry level new or junior healthcare workers.?You will also learn about the critical work that the action teams of the partnership have been engaged in since December. If you are interested in attending this meeting and/or hearing more about the partnership, please reach out to Maureen Jenks, RN, MBA, the Business Partnership Coordinator for Healthcare at Capital Workforce Partners. She can be reached at [email protected] or 860-899-3551. We look forward to seeing you!

The Policy Action Team of the Capital Area Healthcare Partnership held a legislative breakfast on 1/19. It was well attended by healthcare employers and healthcare public partners.?The event was a success in bringing attention to the importance of the partnership with government and the interconnectedness of public policy on the healthcare industry.?Additionally, we were so fortunate to have the attention and thoughtful input from Senator Lisa Seminara, State Representative Tom Delnicki, and State Representative Mike Demicco.?It was wonderful to see the networking that took place before and after the discussion. ? This event reinforced the importance of engaging in meaningful dialogue with legislators on the challenges faced by healthcare providers, as well as opportunities to strengthen the industry overall.?Healthcare leaders shared stories on how the current reimbursement rates negatively impact their ability to recruit and retain staff, provide livable wages, and compete with organizations that can pay a bit more.?Millions of dollars are spent on temp agency staff as organizations struggle to maintain acceptable staffing levels.?Those that cannot afford to pay high agency costs are forced to close services, significantly impacting access to care for the community. ? Critical points were raised around the rate studies that are conducted, the process by which reimbursement rates are determined,?and whether the rates calculated are the ones that are provided.??There was a strong call to action for increasing Medicaid rates to enable providers to offer a livable wage to their workforce and to cover the costs for the services provided. It was stressed that any increase cannot be a one-time event; rather, there should be a variable scale that accounts for the setting and incremental increases of rates over costs. ? Participants agreed on the urgency of investing in the future of healthcare through a multi-pronged approach, which includes an apprenticeship model facilitated by trade associations. This model would integrate education, training, and financial resources but currently faces a funding gap.?More discussion and collaboration with the Department of Labor and other State Departments would be important as we work towards solutions. ? The conversation also brought to attention the interconnectedness of gainful employment with housing, transportation, and childcare services, as well as the opportunity for economic development, economic churn, and the possibility of equity and inclusion for a good portion of the healthcare workforce.?All should have a seat at the table when discussing workforce development.? ? Overall, the gathering highlighted the critical need for legislative support and adequate funding to ensure the sustainability of the healthcare industry in Connecticut, with a focus on jobs with livable wages, workforce challenges, the impact of Medicaid rates, and a robust workforce development program.

The Policy Action Team of the Capital Area Healthcare Partnership (CAHP) is hosting a legislative breakfast at the Legislative Office Building on Friday, January 11, 2024, from 8am-9:30am. The purpose of the event is to raise the voice of healthcare as a major employer and regional economic driver. See details below: Please join us! WHO: -The Policy Action Team of the Capital Area Healthcare Partnership (a Regional Sector Partnership) -Many healthcare employers -Healthcare public partners?(state associations, healthcare educators, etc.)? -Legislators -Capital Workforce Partners -Connecticut Health Council WHY: Legislators will have the opportunity to: -Hear about the impacts of the healthcare industry on local communities, the state, AND their constituents -Learn about healthcare workforce challenges and opportunities -Provide insight and ask questions WHEN: Friday, January 19, 2024, from 8am-9:30am WHERE: Legislative Office Building, Legislative Dining Room If you are interested in attending, please reach out to Maureen Jenks, RN, MBA at Capital Workforce Partners via email [email protected] or call 860-899-3551.

The Business Services Team at Capital Workforce Partners attended the 2nd Annual Statewide Regional Sector Partnership Convening hosted by the Office of Workforce Strategy (OWS). It was an amazing knowledge sharing and networking event. It was great to see some members of the Capital Area Healthcare Partnership there as well!

The Policy Action Team of the Capital Area Healthcare Partnership (CAHP) is in the process of planning a breakfast to be held at the Legislative Office Building, in the Legislative Dining Room on January 19th from 8a-9:30a. The brief, but impactful informational session is called "Elevate the Voice of Healthcare" and is meant to raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities of the healthcare workforce and to highlight the impact of healthcare services on local communities. There will be opportunity for the legislators to ask questions and provide comments as well. If you have questions or are interested in attending, please reach out to Maureen Jenks, RN, MBA at [email protected].

Attention training providers interested in competing for a contract under the Good Jobs Challenge in North Central Connecticut: We encourage you to review our RFP, published here: https://lnkd.in/dMzUvrs Please read the full text of the notice, which appears below: LEGAL NOTICE CAPITAL WORKFORCE PARTNERS, INC. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ? GOOD JOBS CHALLENGE OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING: HEALTHCARE AND IT/TECH Capital Workforce Partners, Inc. (CWP) is seeking qualified training providers for a comprehensive project aimed at equipping unemployed and underemployed individuals with the skills and credentials necessary for entry- and mid-level occupations in the healthcare and IT/tech industry sectors. Selected providers will deliver short-term, credential-based workforce preparation that is designed to the specifications of industry partners, ensuring that participants acquire the essential knowledge and certifications required for immediate entry into high-quality jobs. Solicitation Timeline:???????????????????????????? RFP Issued: January 3, 2024 Deadline for written questions: January 10, 2024 Q & A Published: January 16, 2024 Submission Deadline: January 23, 2024 Notification of Award: February 16, 2024 Contract Execution: March 1, 2024 ? The RFP was released on January 3, 2024, and is available for download on the CWP website at www.capitalworkforce.org through the proposal due date. CWP may change scheduled due dates if it is to the advantage of CWP to do so. Please check our website periodically for updates. Questions may be submitted via email to [email protected] until January 10, 2024; responses will be posted on the CWP website. ??????????????? The final proposal is due on January 23, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. The release of this RFP does not constitute an acceptance of any offer, nor does such release in any way obligate CWP to execute a contract with any offeror.?CWP reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals received or portions thereof. Sincerely, Capital Workforce Partners

The first 2024 quarterly meeting for the Capital Area Healthcare Partnership is already scheduled! Mark your calendar for Thursday, March 28th from 9a-11a. We will announce the location soon. If you are a healthcare provider interesting in hearing more about this partnership, please contact Maureen Jenks, RN, MBA at [email protected] or 860-899-3551.