New Coalition Provides $105,000 to Connect Low-Skill Workers to High-Growth Healthcare Jobs

BALTIMORE—A new coalition of healthcare organizations, foundations, government agencies and non-profits has granted $105,000 to five local hospitals in an effort to identify and support low-wage workers who can be trained to fill shortages in Baltimore's healthcare labor force.

The grants are the first step in the Baltimore Healthcare Coalition's efforts to meet a citywide need for skilled healthcare workers by connecting low-skill job seekers to high-growth jobs. They will allow Mercy Medical Center, University of Maryland Medical System, St. Agnes HealthCare, Union Memorial Hospital/Medstar Health and Sinai Hospital/LifeBridge Health hospitals to hire career coaches to serve 30 to 60 low-wage employees at each hospital. The coaches will identify entry-level workers to be trained for higher-skill positions, and will develop individualized training programs to prepare trainees for the jobs.

The 60-member Coalition, which includes groups as varied as The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, The Baltimore Workforce Investment Board and the Baltimore City Community College, is a collaborative, sector-specific effort to address severe healthcare personnel shortages by connecting Baltimoreans to well-paying jobs.

With support from the Abell Foundation, The Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) and the Open Society Institute-Baltimore (OSI), the Coalition undertook research to identify healthcare positions with high vacancy rates that required an Associate's degree or less. Data from 2003 showed that the Coalition's five partner hospitals had more than 300 vacancies positions like Nurse Extender, Surgical Technician, and Nursing Assistant last year.

"Those are jobs that our entry-level professionals would love to fill," said Jo-Ann Williams, manager, Career Development Programs, University of Maryland Medical Center. "These career coaches will enable our employees to build the skills and education they need to take advantage of these career opportunities."

In response, the Coalition developed the career coaching initiative based on the successful work of the Empower Baltimore Management Corp's retention and advancement program and models from other cities such as Boston and Philadelphia.

"Baltimore faces the dual challenges of critical shortages in our healthcare workforce and high numbers of low-income, low-skilled workers seeking better opportunities," said Patrice Cromwell, OSI-Baltimore associate director. "As a Coalition, we have come to realize that this skilled worker shortage will only get worse unless we act together."

The Coalition's career coaching grants are funded by AECF and OSI and will be administered through the Job Opportunities Task Force (JOTF). The grants are matched by contributions from the participating hospitals.

"We are proud to be part of this groundbreaking initiative," said Pamela Ashby, Union Memorial Hospital. "With help from the Coalition, we can both better serve the healthcare needs of the people of Baltimore as well as offer more family-supporting jobs to our neighbors."

"For the first time, a diverse group of organizations concerned with the Baltimore's healthcare workforce have come together with a single goal," said JOTF Executive Director Deborah Povich. "By working together, we can develop a skilled, competitive healthcare workforce that is responsive to the needs of employers and contributes to Baltimore's economic vitality."

The Healthcare Coalition's membership includes more than 60 organizations such as:

• Healthcare organizations: The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions; Mercy Medical Center; Sinai Hospital/LifeBridge Health; Union Memorial Hospital; Good Samaritan Hospital; St. Agnes Healthcare and University of Maryland Medical System.
• Foundations: The Aaron Straus & Lillie Straus Foundation; The Abell Foundation; The Annie E. Casey Foundation; and OSI-Baltimore.
• Government Agencies: The Baltimore Workforce Investment Board; the Governor's Workforce Investment Board; the Mayor's Office of Employment Development; the Md. Dept. of Labor, Licensing and Regulation; and the U.S. Dept. of Labor.
• Education & Training Providers: Baltimore City Community College; the Biotechnical Institute of Maryland; the Caroline Center; Civic Works; the Community College of Baltimore County; Empower Baltimore Management Corporation; Job Opportunities Task Force; the Md. Center for Arts and Technology; and the University of Md. School of Nursing.
• Non-profits: The Maryland Hospital Association; and Service Employees International Union.