McNeill: $11.5 million to fund stronger healthcare workforce

HARRISBURG, March 24 -- State Rep. Jeanne McNeill, D-Lehigh, announced today that two hospitals in the 133rd District will receive more than $11.5 million in funding to support the health care workforce needs of  health providers.

“These recent months have illustrated how vital our health care system is to keeping communities here in Lehigh County and across the commonwealth healthy, both physically and mentally,” said McNeill. “It’s critical that hospitals and other patient care facilities have sufficient staffing. Sadly, staffing shortages continue to illustrate the growing divide between the realities of patient care received and the type of care everyone is entitled to, and should be receiving.

“I’m pleased that LVH and St. Luke’s will now be in a better position to address this situation,” McNeill said. “This funding will provide reinforcements via the recruitment and retention of staff to those who have been working the frontlines heroically throughout numerous challenges. And, the quality of and access to care should improve as a result.”

More than $7 million was allocated to Lehigh Valley Hospital, with $4.5 million in funding allocated to St. Luke’s Hospital. According to McNeill, the funding represents a portion of $225 million in federal funding distributed under the American Rescue Plan Act. The funding will provide critical reinforcements to health care professionals who have been working at facilities with exceeding capacities and intensity of immediate patient need.

Further details on facilities and hospitals receiving funding allocations are available on DHS’s website.