As health care workers retire and patients face avoidable delays, Louisiana has launched a scalable strategy to rebuild its workforce. The Health Care Employment Reinvestment Opportunity Fund brings health care employers and educators together to expand training capacity, improve graduation rates, and grow health care career opportunities.
In April, the Louisiana Department of Health announced nearly $7 million in matching HERO Fund grants to train 800 additional high-demand health care professionals, with a nearly $30 million annual economic impact from those new jobs.
“Nationwide, and especially here in Louisiana, we are facing serious health care workforce shortages,” said LDH Undersecretary Drew Maranto. “The HERO Fund helps us to grow our health care workforce pipeline at a critical time and keep talent here in Louisiana.”
To support retention, HERO Fund grants often include agreements for graduates to work in Louisiana. Hospital leaders and educators have praised Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration and the state legislature for launching a program that accelerates career paths for both young students and adult learners.
Redefining what a health care student looks like
This article highlights several innovative programs that received matching HERO Fund grants. Several of these programs are designed to help resilient, hard-working nontraditional students like Mary Laphand succeed. She began her health care career in operating room housekeeping before receiving tuition support from Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. She became certified in sterile processing and is now on track to graduate with honors as a surgical technician. Her goal is to become a certified surgical first assistant.
“I had breakdowns from crying. I was overwhelmed from not sleeping,” said the single mother, describing the stress of juggling shift work and clinical training. “Your bills are getting behind, but you’re still pushing because you want this career. Now, I can see the finish line and a better life for me and my sons.”
Asha Johnson, a workforce development leader with FMOLHS, said Mary’s journey powerfully impacts her children, who get to see their parent return to school and achieve lifelong dreams.
“There’s not a price you can put on that,” she said.
Laphand said her income could triple thanks to her hard-earned credentials and credited Johnson for advice and support during difficult times.
With HERO Fund support, FMOLHS is launching new career pathways in nursing, behavioral health, and allied health aimed at learners like Laphand.
“People see that we’re committed to their development,” said Tina Shaffer, another workforce development leader with FMOLHS.
High school internships spark interest in health care
In New Orleans during the summers of 2025 through 2027, YouthForce NOLA has partnered with Ochsner Health to offer paid internships to 75 additional high school students who are eager to launch new health care careers. Before the partnership with Ochsner, more than one-third of YouthForce NOLA participants identified health care science as their top interest, but placement availability consistently fell short of demand.
Students gain 110 hours of hands-on experience by shadowing professionals and rotating through departments. This year, approximately 25 interns are also earning medical assistant credentials and will build on training from the New Orleans Career Center, said Tori McRoberts Hoffpauir, a director at YouthForce NOLA.
Creating upward mobility through CMA training
In the Baton Rouge area, hospitals and community colleges are partnering to train 100 individuals as certified medical assistants.
“Over 50 percent of people in East Baton Rouge Parish qualify as ALICE – Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Yet Employed,” said Katie Pritchett, an operations director with the Baton Rouge Health District. “Certified medical assistants and other allied health positions like CNAs and LPNs can really put someone into an industry that allows for wage increases, benefit packages, and on-the-job continued education.”
To support student success, partners will provide tuition assistance, stipends, and case management.
Early immersion program prepares rural students
In Ruston, Louisiana Tech University has partnered with local health systems in expanding the Nurses Freshman Advanced Summer Term, a six-week summer immersion pilot targeting rural high school graduates with ACT scores between 20 and 24.
Students live on campus, receive peer mentoring, and complete a rigorous Anatomy and Physiology course before competing for a clinical nursing seat during their freshman year of college.
As a result of the Nurses FAST program, students’ success rate in the anatomy course significantly improved whereas many students withdrew from the course in the past.
“We know that it can be extra challenging for those coming from rural high schools, maybe those who are first-generation students,” said Donna Hood, the university’s associate dean.
Nurses Fast helps nursing students jump into the university experience with the necessary skills to be successful in a rigorous, highly competitive nursing program. All students in the program’s previous pilot completed the course successfully, and 15 of 22 were admitted to the clinical program in their first year.
“Those clinical seats are precious, so that really was a driving factor for why we want prepared students,” Hood said. “Once they’re admitted, if they’re not successful, that’s a seat we can never replace.”
Flexible LPN-to-RN pathway for working adults
In New Orleans, Delgado Community College and Ochsner Health are launching an evening and weekend licensed practical nurse to registered nurse bridge program for 20 students. Courses are offered online, with clinicals scheduled outside regular business hours to accommodate working adults. Participants receive stipends and reduced work hours to help them succeed in demanding courses like Obstetrics and Pediatrics.
“One of the first responses we got was, ‘I honestly cannot thank you enough for creating this opportunity. I have been a LPN for 25 years and could not even think about how to work and go to school,'” said Susan Salomone, an Ochsner Health workforce development leader.
Jennifer Fernandez, dean of nursing at Delgado Community College, emphasized the financial return. LPNs who become RNs typically earn $20,000 more annually.
“That’s significant for just an additional year and a half of education,” she said.
Fernandez also stressed the urgency of rebuilding the RN workforce, with nearly 40 percent expected to leave the workforce by 2029. The program exposes students to hospital specialties that typically do not hire LPNs. To help retain new nurses in the workforce, it also includes simulations of emotionally difficult scenarios, such as pediatric grief and family conflict over do-not-resuscitate orders.
“They walk students through scenarios, tissues provided, just to build that empathy,” Fernandez said.
Creating opportunity in the heart of Louisiana
One of the largest HERO Fund grants went to LSU of Alexandria, which is partnering with five health care organizations to increase RN graduates by 25 percent. Sarita James, the university’s nursing school director, estimated that 500 nursing positions remain unfilled in central Louisiana.
To help meet this demand, the school will expand by hiring faculty and offering evening classes and weekend clinical experiences. Flexible scheduling is essential for aspiring nurses who must balance work and family responsibilities. LSUA is creating a pathway that allows them to advance their education without sacrificing income or caregiving duties.
“It’s going to be very helpful to students who want to become a nurse but never realized it was a possibility for them,” James said.
Students will receive scholarships and support to prepare for the RN licensure exam, with a goal of reaching a 95 percent pass rate. The initiative addresses a workforce shortage and opens doors for adult learners to build brighter futures for their families.
Investing in nurse educators
Faculty shortages have prevented thousands of qualified applicants from entering Louisiana nursing schools during the past decade. With retirements looming, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) is partnering with Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center to train new nurse educators.
Under the program, four students will receive full tuition and $10,000 per semester to earn a master’s in nursing education. In return, they will commit to teaching for four years after graduation.
“We are excited about this opportunity to address the largest challenge facing nursing education – qualified faculty,” said Lisa Broussard, dean of nursing at UL Lafayette. “This program will allow us to increase our enrollment and better meet workforce demands.”
Building the pediatric workforce close to home
Two HERO Fund-supported programs are improving families’ local access to highly-skilled pediatric care. In Shreveport, Willis-Knighton Health System and LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine will provide stipends to five pediatric fellows, who will agree to return to teach and serve the region after completing their out-of-state fellowship training. The region loses at least four Louisiana-trained pediatricians each year to out-of-state fellowships, and most don’t return to practice in the state.
Dr. John Vanchiere, a senior associate dean at LSU Health Shreveport, explained that retaining Louisiana-trained pediatric subspecialists will improve patient and family satisfaction.
“It makes a huge difference for a child who has new onset seizures and can’t see a [pediatric] neurologist for two, three, or five months,” he said.
Dr. Joseph Bocchini, chief academic officer at WKHS, noted that new specialists will also improve physician retention.
“You spend a lot more time on call when you are the only person with that expertise,” he said.
In south Louisiana, the Thibodaux Regional School of Nursing at Nicholls State University and Thibodaux Regional Health System are preparing pediatric practice-ready BSN graduates through ANCHOR – Advancing Nursing and Children’s Health Opportunities for our Region. Students will complete an immersion program, earn Pediatric Advanced Life Support certification, and work with early-career pediatricians to keep care close to home.
A steady pipeline of practice-ready pediatric nurses means better, more convenient care for children with specialized needs.
“These nurses will be comfortable taking care of those higher acuity patients and importantly, the choice for pediatric care services remains local,” said Danna Caillouet, the hospital’s chief nursing officer.
New surgical tech training in St. Tammany
A HERO Fund grant is enabling Northshore Technical Community College and its partners to launch a surgical technology program in donated space at the former Louisiana Heart Hospital in Lacombe, La.
“This HERO Fund is allowing me to stand up programs that I couldn’t do on my own,” said Christi Marceaux, NTCC dean of health sciences and nursing. “I’ve outgrown all of my campuses.”
She had tried to launch the program for three years.
“This upfront money for me is a game changer because I cannot hire faculty if I don’t have funding,” she said.
Bronwyn Doyle, who works closely with Marceaux as a workforce development leader at St. Tammany Health System, said the new program will reduce reliance on agency staffing and avoid potential scheduling delays for patients needing surgeries.
“We’ll probably need 10 more surgical techs by the end of the year,” she said.
Opening more doors through the next phase
LDH received more than 120 HERO Fund applications in its first round, showing strong provider interest in co-investing in local workforce training. Another round of grant awards is expected this fall.
During the next round, Marceaux hopes to use additional donated space to grow NTCC’s nursing program, which now accepts only one-fourth of its qualified applicants.
North Oaks Health System also applied to expand its medical assistant-to-LPN bridge program in partnership with NTCC.
“We provide all the tuition, the educational dollar support, and pay them the full salary while they go to school,” said Jeff Jarreau, chief human resources officer.
He shared the story of an employee who rose from certified nursing assistant to medical assistant to LPN through bridge programs.
“The only obligation they had in the year was to study,” he said. “We did not make them come to work on weekends, afternoons or evenings. We supported their education.”
Louisiana health care providers have expressed gratitude for lawmakers’ commitment to addressing urgent workforce needs. As other states confront similar shortages, the HERO Fund stands out as a model for expanding care and improving quality of life in communities across the country.
Mike Thompson is the Louisiana Hospital Association’s Health Care Policy Analyst.
This article was originally published at www.thecentersquare.com
