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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Nicole
Reigelman |
State Rep. Mark Cohen |
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Cohen works to make program to encourage nursing students permanent
HARRISBURG, March 8 – As part of his plan to help reverse the shortage of health-care professionals in the Commonwealth, state Rep. Mark Cohen has introduced legislation to make the state’s Nursing Shortage Initiative permanent and keep it funded.
Cohen, D-Phila., said the initiative currently exists in and is administered by the state Department of Labor and Industry; however the governor has proposed to eliminate its funding, hoping that the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency will pick up the program. Cohen said that seems unlikely at this time.
Cohen’s bill would make the initiative permanent and divide funding for it between Labor and Industry and PHEAA. The program aims to encourage nurses and nursing students to enter areas with critical shortages, and make it financially easier to attend nursing school.
“We are soon going to encounter a health- care crisis in our state that stems from our nursing shortage. The shortage of nurses and other skilled health-care professionals will have an overwhelmingly adverse impact on health care in our state,” Cohen said. “It is crucial that we take steps now to plan for the impending emergency.”
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