New Jersey’s hospitals and health systems deliver the highest-quality, compassionate care to the communities they serve. Our state is home to some of the country’s best and safest hospitals in the nation, receiving the highest marks nationwide for patient safety.

These high marks are a testament to the dedication of our front-line team members who always put patients first and hospital administrators who employ innovative strategies to deliver advanced care in state-of-the-art facilities.

It takes a collaborative effort between health systems, legislators, policymakers, and community leaders to ensure accessible, equitable health care is available across New Jersey. Current workforce shortages, which have more than doubled labor costs for certain health professions, require thoughtful solutions and resources to attract and retain vital health care workers.

While the health care industry is not alone - workforce shortages are impacting all major industries – recent history demonstrates how critical a strong health care workforce is for our state and nation.

Collaborative Approach to a Systemic Problem

We at NJHA are advocating for a collaborative approach to address this systemic problem, including expanding training options, enhancing recruitment, launching nurse education programs, reimagining workforce models, investing in upskilling and providing nontraditional support for health care workers.

NJHA is actively working to achieve the following:

• $10 million to support growing the number of nursing faculty in the state.
• An additional $10 million to expand the Behavioral Healthcare Provider Loan Redemption Program.
• Establishment of a loan redemption program with sufficient funding for allied healthcare professionals and other certified healthcare professionals.
• Report on healthcare workforce vacancies across the state, inclusive of all allied, operational, and clinical fields.
• Funding for education campaigns that promote careers in the healthcare sector.

These investments will help build a stronger future health care workforce.

NJHA is committed to ensuring the highest level of health care for New Jersey residents. That requires a strong and stable health care workforce. Therefore, we are committed to open dialogue and collaboration to find thoughtful solutions to alleviate the challenges our front-line professionals face every day.

The need is urgent. The time for action is now.