Three North Country hospitals awarded spots in $32.5M state workforce grant program

New York state has announced $32.5 million in competitive healthcare workforce training grants for 34 not-for-profit healthcare facilities, including three in the North Country. The five-year awards are intended to expand training capacity as the state addresses shortages in healthcare workers.

The grants are part of the Increasing Training Capacity in Statewide Health Care Facilities program and cover all 10 state regions. The awards are scheduled to run from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2031, with individual grants ranging from $500,000 to $1 million annually.

The North Country facilities named in the state announcement are Carthage Area Hospital Inc., Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital and Samaritan Medical Center. The announcement did not specify the annual award for any of the three facilities.

Grant funds may be used for tuition and fees, instructor salaries, simulation-lab equipment, wage subsidies and recruitment costs. Final approval of all awards depends on review by the State Comptroller.

The program is part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s broader, multiyear $10 billion investment in healthcare. State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said the workforce shortage requires urgent action. The state Health Department cites a federal Health Resources and Services Administration projection of continued shortages in nursing, allied health, behavioral health, primary care and oral health through 2036.

The 2026 round is larger and longer than earlier awards. The program offered $22.5 million for two-year terms in 2022, while the 2024 round awarded $22.5 million to 28 facilities.

The grants could affect healthcare training and recruitment in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Carthage Area Hospital is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital in Carthage and separately partners with SUNY Canton through a state HELP grant supporting its Rural Healthcare Employment and Advancement Program. Samaritan Medical Center lists partnerships with local high schools, BOCES, Jefferson Community College and the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization.

The awards are scheduled to begin Oct. 1, 2026, after the comptroller’s review. People seeking project details or the annual amounts for the North Country facilities can contact Carthage Area Hospital, Samaritan Medical Center and Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital. The state Health Department maintains information about the program on its Healthcare Workforce Innovation page.