Bill would streamline Department of Labor training and apprenticeship programs for aspiring health care professionals
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced legislation that would help address the ongoing health care labor shortage by making it easier for health care employers to create new registered apprenticeship programs to train the next generation of health professionals.
“The Republican health care ‘agenda’ is a runaway train barreling toward our country’s health care system,” Wyden said. “Health care is the biggest employment sector in our country. But doctors, nurses, and providers are already stretched thin and burned out from long hours and limited resources, and the nearly one trillion-dollar cut to Medicaid passed by Republicans earlier this year will magnify a glaring health care workforce shortage. My legislation will help close that widening gap by training the next generation of health professionals to ensure American families get the care they need.”
The American Hospital Association reported that America will face a shortage of about 100,000 critical health care workers by 2028.
The Department of Labor’s Healthcare Apprenticeships program offers training opportunities for aspiring medical assistants, dental assistants, pharmacy technicians, behavioral health paraprofessionals, registered nurses and home health aides, among other critical providers delivering high-quality care to patients nationwide.
Wyden’s Fast Track Apprenticeship Act would reduce barriers to entry for the training program by:
- Requiring federal and state labor agencies to make determinations on health care apprenticeship applications within 45 days of receipt.
- Requiring the Department of Labor to digitize apprenticeship agreement forms, modernize the application process and enhance accessibility for applicants.
House companion legislation was also introduced by Representatives Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, and Julie Johnson, D-Texas.
“The Hospital Association of Oregon appreciates Senator Wyden’s efforts to grow the health care workforce by reducing barriers to establishing apprenticeship programs. When planning for our hospitals’ workforce pipelines, apprenticeships are an option that can increase diversity and allow workers to live and work in their communities while receiving their training. To mitigate the capacity challenges and prevent future crises — both for the workforce and for patients — there must be intentional efforts to develop innovative solutions, which should include apprenticeships,” wrote Becky Hultberg, President & CEO of the Hospital Association of Oregon.
“At a time when the need for qualified healthcare workers is greater than ever, Sen. Wyden’s Fast Track Health Care Apprenticeships Act is the type of action our communities need. By reducing barriers to establishing healthcare apprenticeships and streamlining the outdated processes that slow these programs down, this bill will open doors for people to train, live, and work in the communities they love. It will help build a more diverse, representative workforce and create a new generation of caregivers at a moment when they are urgently needed. SEIU is proud to support this effort to strengthen our healthcare system and the workers who make it run,” wrote Leslie Frane, Executive Vice President of the Service Employees International Union.
Wyden has been a strong advocate in the Senate for addressing the health care workforce shortage. In August 2024, Wyden introduced bipartisan legislation to provide federal support for community-led education and training for health care workers in rural and underserved communities. Previously, he urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to finance, support and expand the availability of addiction medicine specialists. In May 2024, Wyden released proposals to expand and improve the distribution of Medicare-supported residency programs to rural areas and specialties in shortage.
The bill text is here.
A web version of this release is here.
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