Governor brings Wyoming into Multi-State Effort to address healthcare worker shortage

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Photo from https://governor.wyo.gov/home of Governor Gordon

Wyo4news Staff, [email protected] [PRESS RELEASE]

CHEYENNE, WYOMING — Governor Mark Gordon has announced that Wyoming will be one of 14 states participating in a collaborative project to address health workforce challenges, with a goal of growing and strengthening the state’s health care workforce.

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The Next Generation of the Healthcare Workforce Learning Collaborative is a six-month project being launched by the National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices. During the project, Governors’ offices and other senior state officials across health, education, and workforce development agencies will join forces to develop innovative and evidence-based policies, programs, and practices to strengthen and endure healthcare workforce.

In addition to Governor Gordon’s office, the collaborative will include representation from the Wyoming Department of Health, Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, and the Wyoming Department of Education. The University of Wyoming and the state’s community colleges will also take part in the effort, which is aligned with the priorities of the Governor’s Wyoming Innovation Partnership (WIP).

“Wyoming is not unique in facing healthcare workforce shortages, an issue that has only been exacerbated by the pandemic,” Governor Gordon said. “Long-term solutions will require a coordinated effort that will benefit from this collaborative approach” 

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Governor Gordon’s Health Task Force has been working to address nursing shortages through the use of traveling nurses early in the pandemic, as well as by using federal CARES and ARPA funding for recruitment and retention efforts. The Wyoming Legislature recently approved additional funding for workforce issues in the health and human services area during the recent budget session.

During a series of virtual and in-person convenings in multiple states, Learning Collaborative participants will work together to assess their current operating environment; share successes and best practices; learn from national, state, and local experts; exchange ideas with other states, and develop and execute an action plan to achieve program and policy change based on state-identified goals.

The Learning Collaborative will publish findings and recommendations later this year.

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