By Mark Poloncarz

I recently visited Washington D.C. where I joined Vide President Kamala Harris, governors and other elected leaders from across the country at the White House for a workforce summit on the American Rescue Plan and the positive impact it is having in helping strengthen our nation’s workforce.

Prior to 2021, the United States Department of Health & Human Service offered educational training and other aid to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients for higher paying occupations in the healthcare field that were expected to experience labor shortages. The program was known as the Healthcare Profession Opportunity Grant, HPOG for short, and was administered by local social service agencies. Unfortunately, Congress did not reauthorize that funding for the 2021-2022 federal fiscal year and it was discontinued by all local social service agencies.

The Buffalo and Erie County Workforce Investment Board administered HPOG and WIB leadership, along with the Erie County Department of Social Services, recommended its’ continuance in some form by our county. When we were formulating our plan for investing Erie County’s proceeds from the American Rescue Plan Act, we created the Erie County Healthcare Careers Program and initially funded it through the use of $1.6 million dollars of Erie County’s initial ARPA assistance received in 2021.

The Erie County Healthcare Careers Program provides educational training grants of up to $10,000 per student for various high-demand healthcare occupations. In addition to the grant, students enrolled in the program are provided transportation allowance, childcare assistance, and access to an emergency fund of up to $500 per person for car repairs, healthcare expenses, housing needs, or whatever the emergency might be.

When the ECHC program began in October 2021, our goal was to enroll 200 students by October 2022. By December 2021, more than 150 residents had enrolled and a waiting list of potential enrollees was established. Because of the tremendous success early on, we dedicated an additional $1.35 million in county funding to the ECHC program to prepare for additional anticipated enrollment. More than 320 Erie County residents are now enrolled in the Erie County Healthcare Careers program and we expect nearly 400 to be enrolled by September 2022.

As long as the demand for training in these important healthcare fields exists, we plan to continue offering the program to qualified individuals. Without the allocation of American Rescue Plan Assistance, it is highly likely this excellent workforce development initiative would not have been created.

The American Rescue Plan is giving counties the flexibility to invest in local programs that best fit their community. Because of its passage, over 300 county residents are now on the road to a better future for themselves and their families, and care in our local healthcare system is being strengthened.