News

JHF Celebrates Growth in Pennsylvania Caregiving Workforce

Type: News

Focus Area: Workforce Development

Behind every strong nursing home is a team of caregivers, and in Pennsylvania’s Appalachian counties, that team is growing. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) POWER grant, supported by JHF and its partners, is helping to train and upskill Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) who are now stepping into vital roles in long-term care.

The $2 million, three-year ARC POWER grant supports training for new CNAs in nursing homes and upskilling for current CNAs working in Pennsylvania’s Appalachian counties. Grant subrecipients include Centre Care, Presbyterian SeniorCare, UPMC Canterbury, and SEIU The Training and Education Fund.

Since October 2024, grant funding has supplemented training and upskilling costs for over 150 CNAs in nursing homes across Pennsylvania’s Appalachian counties. A majority of those who completed the training classes accepted jobs at the nursing homes.

Andrew Naugle, NHA, administrator at Centre Care, said, “The ARC grant has been a tremendous support to Centre Care. By helping us fund CNA training, it has allowed us to grow our own caregivers, strengthen our workforce, and ensure that our residents receive the quality and continuity of care they deserve. This investment directly benefits our staff, our residents, and our entire community.”

During recent site visits to all the participating partners, JHF and subrecipients’ staff toured the nursing homes, reviewed progress made over the first year, discussed reporting processes, and brainstormed resources that might empower individuals once they start their CNAs positions, such as dementia care approaches, self-care tips, and personal finance strategies.

"Going through the CNA program taught me more than I expected—about healthcare, about responsibility, and about myself,” said Madison Ammon, a recent graduate of the Centre Care CNA Course and current Centre Care employee. “I’m proud of who I’ve become because of this experience.”

Moving into the second grant year, JHF will continue to work with the nursing homes and SEIU on ways to enhance their training and upskilling classes, including creating an open-access website for CNA trainees and class instructors to access free relevant resources.

To learn more about the Appalachian Regional Commission’s POWER grants, click here.

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