December 2025 Work Force Newsletter

Health Care

Workforce Updates

December 2025

FLPPS seeks participants and service commitment sites for Career Pathways Training program 

The FLPPS Career Pathways Training (CPT) Program isn’t just about education, it’s about building a stronger, more resilient care system. Participants gain the tools to launch or advance meaningful careers in health, behavioral health, and social care, with support that goes beyond the classroom: tuition assistance, mentoring, career coaching, and job placement. Learn more about the CPT Program and share with your networks. 

Qualified providers also play a key role by becoming service commitment sites, offering graduates a place to make an impact. NYS Medicaid-enrolled organizations serving 30% or more Medicaid and/or uninsured individuals may qualify. It’s a win-win: help participants fulfill their service commitment while connecting with a pipeline of trained professionals ready to serve. For more information on becoming a service commitment site, email the FLPPS Partner Team. 

Apply Now for NYS HEALR Loan Repayment Program

The New York State Department of Health is accepting applications for the Healthcare Access Loan Repayment (HEALR) program—a $48.3 million initiative to help health care professionals in high-need roles reduce student debt.

Awards range up to $300,000 for psychiatrists, $100,000 for dentists and primary care physicians, and $50,000 for nurse practitioners and pediatric clinical nurse specialists. A four-year, full-time commitment to serving Medicaid and uninsured populations is required.

Applications are open now! Employer applications are due Jan. 31, 2026, and individual applications by Feb. 15, 2026.

Learn more and apply.

Clinical interventions for minority stress and racial trauma--Dec. 3, 2025

Led by Lillian Gibson, PhD, this session will equip health professionals with insights to effectively center clinical services within BIPOC clients’ social and cultural realities. Participants will learn to recognize the emotional impacts of minority stress, micro-aggressions, and racial trauma, specifically in marginalized communities. 

They will also learn to identify culturally responsive interventions that strengthen resilience and promote healing. 

Dec. 3, 2025, 12–1 p.m. 

CEs available for Social Work, OT, PT, LMHC, and SLP.  

Email Jason Fulkerson at jfulkerson@r-ahec.org for more information.

New York State Association for Rural Health to hold mental health focus groups--Dec. 3 & 4, 2025

In September 2025, NYSARH published a new report, the Statewide Aggregate Rural Health Needs Assessment: Mental Health and Wellbeing (SARHNA), the first statewide synthesis of local planning documents to create a comprehensive picture of rural behavioral health needs across all 44 rural counties of New York. 

We want to hear about your experiences and priorities related to mental health and wellbeing in the rural communities where you live or serve. Many factors influence rural mental health and wellbeing--together, these focus groups will help us identify a priority area to focus our collaborative efforts in 2026. 

Each session will: 

• Review the major themes found in the SARHNA 

• Reflect on which themes most resonate as priority areas 

• Share ideas on potential opportunities to make progress on improving mental health and wellbeing in rural communities 

The virtual focus group series will offer two sessions in December:  

• Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, 12-1:30 p.m. 

• Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, 9-10:30 a.m. 

Register now!  

Incumbent worker training grant program 

RochesterWorks Incumbent Worker Training Grant (IWT) program is designed to help businesses in the City of Rochester and Monroe County train their existing employees to meet current industry demands by offsetting the cost of providing training and certification. 
 
Business applicants must identify a short-term training need for employed workers in in-demand skills areas. The IWT grant offers Monroe County businesses up to 90% matching reimbursement for preapproved, training-related costs, up to a maximum of $10,000, for training activities to be completed within six months. 

Learn more.

Healers’ Village offering a FREE workshop for clinicians working with Black families--Jan. 27, 2025  

This in-person session will feature Dr. Henry Gregory and Maisha Gregory Davis, LCSW-C, who will help clinicians sharpen their skills in working with Black families in clinical settings to more clearly see and name racial trauma, and to recognize and support resiliency.  

Jan. 27, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Common Ground Health Offices. CEU’s available and dinner is included.  

Register and learn more.

Introducing the new Complex Care Certificate for team leaders!  

This highly interactive virtual course allows learners to build essential leadership skills, either at their own pace or as part of a cohort with monthly virtual discussions about the course's content. Built by team leaders for team leaders, these courses complement traditional training and prepare you to support effective complex care teams and programs. Building a strong care network for patients with complex health and social needs starts with strong leadership!  
 
Check out the course and our other training offerings here:  

Complex care certificate for team leaders 

https://courses.camdenhealth.org/pages/complex-care-certificate-program 

https://courses.camdenhealth.org/ 

Despite Labor Force Gains, Disparities Remain for Workers With Disabilities –Nov. 20, 2025.

A System Under Strain: How Funding Uncertainty Harms Workforce Programs -Nov. 2025 

Please share your health care workforce updates

If you have workforce updates to share, or any feedback or ideas for this newsletter, please contact Melissa Wendland at melissa.wendland@commongroundhealth.org.

Please share this newsletter with others in your organization who might benefit and encourage them to sign up to receive it. 
https://www.commongroundhealth.org/newsletter-sign-up