WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Jim Webb (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) announced today that Virginia has received more than $5.5 million in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grants for health care workforce training programs. These grants will target nursing workforce development programs and provide additional training for health providers on the specific health needs of an aging population.

According to the Virginia Department of Health Professions, the demand for registered nurses in Virginia is projected to increase by 43% over the next 20 years, leaving the Commonwealth with a shortage of between 10,000 and 12,000 registered nurses in just the next ten years. Grants announced today include almost $5 million to strengthen all levels of nursing education at universities and colleges across Virginia.

An additional $700,000 in grants will be used to improve training and for health professionals involved in care for the elderly. The average age of Virginia’s population continues to increase as the “baby boom generation” enters retirement age, and the Council on Virginia’s Future estimates almost one-in-five Virginians will be 65 years or older by the year 2030.

“Health care is projected to generate more jobs than any other industry in the coming years, and these health care workforce training grants will help students in Virginia acquire the skills they need to find future employment,” said Senator Webb.  “We are making a smart investment in our workforce, as well as strengthening access to quality health care for Virginia residents in the future.”

"These grants represent a strategic investment in our health care work force,” Senator Warner said. “These efforts will help us meet the health care needs of millions of aging Virginians while giving folks an opportunity to secure a good job in a growing field."

Grantees and amounts are listed below:

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