WV to allocate nearly $300,000 in Rural Health Transformation funds to expand nursing workforce

The state of West Virginia will contribute $291,403 of its federal Rural Health Transformation funds to the WVU Medicine Center for Nursing Education to help expand the capacity of nursing education and address nursing shortages across the state, Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Monday. 

“A strong healthcare system starts with having the people in place to care for patients,” Morrisey said in a news release. “This investment will help put more nurses in our hospitals and communities so West Virginians can get the care they need, improve their health, and get back to work. That is how we improve healthcare outcomes while building a healthier, stronger workforce across our state.”

WVU Medicine has more than 1,000 vacancies across its network, Morrisey’s office said. The additional funds will be used to expand capacity for an additional 100 students each year to attend the center and increase access to nursing education for students from rural and Health Professional Shortage Area communities, including Hancock, Ohio, Marshall, Tyler and Wetzel counties, the governor’s office said. 

The program will provide tuition and fee assistance, academic services, wellness resources, and other support for students who commit to serving in West Virginia’s healthcare workforce, the governor’s office said. 

“Addressing workforce shortages requires more than recruitment alone. We also need to expand educational opportunities and help more West Virginians enter healthcare careers,” Secretary of Health Dr. Arvin Singh said in the news release. “This investment strengthens our nursing workforce while giving students the support they need to succeed and serve communities across our state.”

West Virginia received $199 million in federal dollars from the Rural Health Transformation Program for 2026. The five-year program from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid was part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which made historic cuts to healthcare and food assistance spending. 

The program aims to “empower states to transform the existing rural healthcare infrastructure and build sustainable health care systems that expand access, enhance quality of care and improve outcomes for patients,” according to CMS. 

The funding for the nursing school contributes to Mountain State Care Force, one of seven initiatives for the program that Morrisey has outlined.