HealthForce Partners' Paul Lanning Appointed as Regional Industry Chair for Healthcare

Stockton, Calif.; April 11th, 2024 – HealthForce Partners, a healthcare sector partnership for the Northern San Joaquin Valley, today announces the approval of grant applications with the WE Will! K-16 Educational Collaborative. Securing a total of $781,298, these grants will drive the development of regional career pathways and address critical staffing shortages within the healthcare industry, aligning with the collaborative's mission to ensure equity and facilitate clear pathways for all students across Merced, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin counties.

The Executive Committee for the WE Will! K-16 Educational Collaborative also confirmed the appointments of Healthcare Task Force Co-Chairs, naming HealthForce Partners Executive Director, Paul Lanning, as Industry Chair and Nathan Haley, Director of Career Technical Education and STEM for Stockton Unified School District, as Project Chair. 

The funding received by HealthForce Partners will facilitate various initiatives aimed at addressing the healthcare workforce shortage in the Northern San Joaquin Valley. These include developing regional career pathways, enhancing work-based learning opportunities, and promoting healthcare careers among underrepresented communities. HealthForce Partners' awarded projects include:

• WEWill! K-16 Educational Collaborative Sub-Award (NextGen MedPros - $396,759): In response to the healthcare worker shortage in the Northern San Joaquin Valley, Stanislaus Partners in Education, and Modesto City Schools are among the organizations collaborating with HealthForce Partners on an innovative project to create a career pathways website, establish a student advisory council, and organize a summit to foster collaboration and address the disconnect between healthcare and education.
• WEWill! K-16 Educational Collaborative Sub-Award (Regional Healthcare Pathways Development - $384,539): HealthForce Partners will collaborate with various stakeholders including K-12 school districts, colleges, employers, and community organizations to expand healthcare career pathways in the region. This initiative aims to increase work-based learning opportunities, provide clinical placements for students, and prioritize support for underrepresented communities, led by a Regional Career Pathways Director.

“We're thrilled to partner with our region’s K-16 educational institutions on these initiatives,” Lanning stated. “Healthcare employers throughout the Northern San Joaquin Valley and beyond are struggling to fill open positions in just about every discipline. These grants mark a pivotal step in our mission to transform healthcare education and workforce development in our region, offering more opportunities for local residents and a brighter future for our communities.”About HealthForce Partners Northern San Joaquin Valley

About HealthForce Partners Northern San Joaquin Valley

HealthForce Partners brings together top executives and operational leaders from healthcare, education, and workforce development to craft innovative programs and systems change strategies that address the staffing priorities of employers and expand career opportunities for community residents in the North San Joaquin Valley region, including the counties of San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced. By facilitating collaborative planning, the Partnership is changing the way healthcare employers, educational institutions, and workforce development agencies work together. To learn more visit www.healthforcepartners.net