AHCA Works is an eight-week program that trained individuals, including refugees, to become certified nursing assistants or CNAs.
That program was funded by a grant from the American Rescue Plan Act and the goal was to train 1,500 CNAs.
"And we got more bang for the buck by getting 2,214 CNAs and caregivers into the program. So it was a huge success," said David Voepel, the CEO of the Arizona Health Care Association, which helped develop the program. But in June, it ran out of money.
"We've tried a bunch of different avenues to try and get dollars either state dollars or federal dollars. But once the COVID dollars dried up, there's really not much out there. Budgets have really tightened up," Voepel said.
Voepel says the long-term care workforce will be a priority in the 2025 legislative session.
