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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | November 9, 2023 02:04 PM |
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| From: | Senator David G. Argall and Sen. Michele Brooks |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Addressing Pennsylvania's Long-Term Care Workforce Crisis |
| In the near future, we will introduce legislation to help break down the barriers of entry into the health care workforce in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania’s population continues to age – in fact, Pennsylvania’s population age 65 and older is expected to nearly double by 2040. Many nursing facilities have reported that direct care positions continue to remain vacant and that beds continue to be taken off-line because there is no one to staff them. From December 2019 to December 2022, the US Department of Labor reported that nursing and resident care facilities in Pennsylvania lost 14% of their workforce. Meanwhile, these same facilities are required to implement mandated staffing requirements that are both unfunded and unattainable given the current workforce shortages. As the Chairs of the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, we ask our colleagues to join us in support of these three pieces of legislation which will assist this important workforce. |
Document #1
Introduced as SB1102
| Description: | The first bill addresses the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Training Program in order to enhance the availability of training courses across the state. This legislation will also allow student nurses and graduate nurses to immediately take the Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) exam upon completion of relevant coursework within their nursing program. |
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Document #2
Introduced as SB1103
| Description: | The second bill provides skills competency examination opportunities to individuals seeking employment as a direct caregiver in lieu of successfully obtaining a high school diploma or GED equivalency. | |
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Document #3
Introduced as SB1104
| Description: | The third bill would allow high school juniors and seniors to earn up to two credits toward their graduation requirement for employment in a congregate health care setting (nursing facility, personal care home, assisted living residence, or hospital). | |
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