NORTH CAROLINA FOUNDATION RECEIVES $2.5 MILLION GRANT TO ADDRESS SHORTAGE OF DIRECT CARE WORKERS IN NURSING HOMES

North Carolina will soon embark on an effort to recruit at least 4,000 new nurse aides in skilled nursing facilities across the state, thanks to a $2.5 million grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The three-year grant was awarded this week to FutureCareNC, a non-profit organization established by the NC Health Care Facilities Association.

“This grant could not have come at a better time,” said Eric Kivisto, executive director of FutureCareNC. “Recruiting and retaining caregivers is one of the greatest challenges facing North Carolina’s nursing homes today. It has been an ongoing issue for many years, and the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the need to recruit new nurse aides. As our population continues to age, we need highly qualified direct care workers now more than ever.”

The number of nurse aides in North Carolina has declined by nearly 20,000 since 2015 — a drop of more than 16% — while the number of residents age 85 and older has increased by more than 10%. The NC Health Care Facilities Association estimates that nursing homes across the state currently need to hire an additional 3,800 nurse aides.

“I want to congratulate FutureCareNC on this grant award which will help improve the quality of care for North Carolina residents who reside in nursing homes by investing in our workforce,” said NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. “Supporting the direct care workforce in long-term care is critical as we continue to respond to and recover from the COVID pandemic.”

The grant will use funds collected through civil penalties to establish NCCaregivers, a statewide education and marketing campaign that will promote the nurse aide profession. The program will also include partnerships with community colleges to provide training for nurse aides and retention bonuses for nurse aides who stay on the job for six months or more.

“I applaud CMS for stepping up and providing North Carolina’s nursing homes the resources they need to train, recruit, and retain frontline health care workers,” said U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, who assisted FutureCareNC throughout the grant process. “The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the longstanding shortage of health professionals in long-term care facilities, and this critical announcement comes at a time when resources are needed most.”

Kivisto credits Sen. Tillis and the Cooper administration with playing a critical role in helping FutureCareNC obtain the CMS grant. In addition, Sen. Richard Burr, the NC Community College System, and leading long-term care advocates across the state stepped up to express support for FutureCareNC’s grant proposal.

“By increasing the number of qualified caregivers in the skilled nursing industry, we can significantly decrease turnover, enhance patient care, improve quality of life and boost employee morale,” Kivisto said. “We are excited about working with North Carolina providers to launch this program and address the critical staffing shortages facing skilled nursing facilities.”

FutureCareNC will work closely with North Carolina nursing homes in the coming months on how to sign up and participate in the program. In addition to recruiting new nurse aides, NCCaregivers will share best practices and educational materials with nursing homes to better engage with employees and improve workplace culture.

About FutureCareNC
FutureCare of North Carolina, Inc. (FutureCareNC) is a not-for-profit organization focused on fostering and promoting innovations to improve the quality of care and residential living in North Carolina’s skilled nursing facilities.
The organization’s board of directors include chair Ken Burgess, a partner at Poyner Spruill law firm; Paul Babinski, President of Liberty Healthcare & Rehabilitation Services; Ted W. Goins Jr., President of Lutheran Services Carolinas; Andy Page, a partner at DHG Healthcare; Lauren Cecil, an administrator at White Oak Manor – Waxhaw; Sarah Lynch, Director of Sales and Marketing at Southern Pharmacy; Sabrina Harden, Vice President of Operations at Medical Facilities of America; and Carron Suddreth, LNHA, Liberty Healthcare Management.