WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The Community College of Vermont has received a $790,000 grant to start a statewide licensed nursing assistant training program.
The money comes from the Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living’s Rural Health Transformation program, according to a news release from the Community College of Vermont (CCV). One goal is to increase the number of LNAs throughout Vermont to improve and make training more accessible for those who wish to enter the healthcare field.
“Vermonters rely on the care provided by licensed nursing assistants,” Candace Lewis, CCV’s dean of academic affairs, said in the release. “The LNA Training Hub provides an opportunity to bring together employers and educators from across the state to strengthen and expand this vital segment of our healthcare workforce.”
CCV is working closely with UVM Health and Dartmouth Health on the LNA Training Hub. The college will begin by starting a statewide advisory committee, which will work on figuring out what gaps exist in current LNA training programs and come up with ways to address them, according to the release. In addition to providing funding for those who want to pursue careers as LNAs, grant money will also be used to improve training opportunities for LNA instructors and those who are already in the field.
“Strengthening our healthcare workforce starts with helping people find the right fit to launch their career,” Kelsey Reed, workforce development clinical program manager for UVM Health, said in the release. “The LNA Training Hub will expand training opportunities for those entering the healthcare workforce for the first time and support career advancement for healthcare professionals who care for communities across our region.”
