New Ideas for Health Workforce Retraining, Recruitment and Retention

LeadingAge NY along with other associations representing assisted living, nursing homes and home care providers participated in several conference calls with the Department of Health on Fri., Aug. 15 regarding Health Workforce Needs: Retraining, Recruitment and Retention (RRR).  This initiative which is being funded under the State’s Medicaid reinvestment waiver will be implemented through an increase in Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) capitation rates. According to DOH, the investment over five years would total $245 million.

MLTC plans will be required to invest in initiatives to attract, retrain, recruit and retain long term care professionals in the areas they serve. To this end, DOH has asked for our input in what these initiatives should entail. The goal is for the MLTC plans to invest in workforce training for providers in their network that will prepare new long term care workers and build upon the skills of existing long term care workers to address the changes in the field.

According to DOH, each MLTC plan would be required to submit to the State on an annual basis its retraining, recruitment and retention plan which the State would be required to approve.

Please contact your respective policy analyst with your ideas. DOH has requested our written comments within 30 days, if not sooner.

Contact: Cheryl Udell, cudell@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8871; Diane Darbyshire, ddarbyshire@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8828; or Michelle Synakowski, msynakowski@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8850