Healthcare Workers Recruitment and Re-engagement Fund

A Request for Applications (RFA) is used to award grants to promote specific program goals. An organization (in this case, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment) announces that grant funding is available, and eligible organizations may apply for it. The purpose of this CDPHE RFA is to incentivize and assist employers in the recruitment of different licensed healthcare professionals to employment in long-term care facilities (LTCF), facilities with a Healthcare Professional Shortage Area Designation, and pediatric-serving hospitals. If a facility successfully recruits a licensed professional who has left the healthcare industry and will work 20 hours per week or more on average for a minimum of six months, the facility is eligible to receive a one-time payment of $20,000 per professional re-engaged.

Eligibility

Organizations that may apply for funding are:

1. Long-term care facilities, i.e. nursing homes, nursing facilities, skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, or health facilities that are planned, organized, operated, and maintained to provide supportive, restorative, and preventative services to persons who, due to physical and/or mental disability, require continuous or regular inpatient care.
2. Facilities that hold an official federal designation as a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).
3. Hospitals that serve the pediatric population.

In order to receive grant funding, a facility that is eligible based on the above criteria must hire a healthcare professional who is not currently working, but has an active license or reinstates their license and will work for the facility an average of 20 hours per week. The healthcare professional must attest that they will work for the facility a minimum of six months and that they have previously left the healthcare industry for a minimum of six months.

The Healthcare Workforce Recruitment and Re-engagement Fund incentivizes creative retention ideas. These may include signing bonuses, child care and transportation stipends, tuition reimbursements, and employee health and wellness programs. A full list of suggestions can be found in our Allowables Roadmap. 

This program has $10,000,000 available for this RFA, and CDPHE anticipates awarding grants until the funds are exhausted. No facility will be eligible to receive more than $240,000 in total. Each contract will be effective upon approval by the State Controller through June 30, 2025. All aspects of the project are dependent upon funding availability.

The following licenses are eligible: 

• APN - Advanced Practice Nurses
• C-APN - Compact Advanced Practice Authority
• CDR - Compact Physician 
• CDRH - Compact Physician
• CNA - Certified Nurses Aid
• C-IV - Compact Intravenous Certification 
• DD - Psychiatric technician - Developmentally disabled
• DEN - Dentist 
• DH - Dental Hygienist  
• DR - Physician - All statuses 
• DRP - Pro Bono Physician 
• IV - Intravenous Certification 
• LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor
• LPCC - Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate
• MAA - Medication Aide Authority
• MI - Psychiatric Technician - Mentally ill 
• MT - Massage Therapist
• NA - Certified Nurse Aide
• OT - Occupational Therapist - All statuses (no fee required)   
• OTA - Occupational Therapy Assistant - All statuses (no fee required)   
• OTAP - Provisional Occupational Therapist Assistant - All statuses (no fee required)   
• OTP - Provisional Occupational Therapist - All statuses (no fee required)
• PA - Physician Assistant
• POD - Podiatrist 
• PN - Licensed Practical Nurse 
• PSLP - Provisional Speech Language - Pathologist   
• PTA - Physical Therapist Assistant 
• PTL - Physical Therapist 
• PTLP - Physical Therapist Provisional 
• PSY - Licensed Psychologist
• RN - Registered Nurse
• RTL - Respiratory Therapist
• RXN - Prescriptive Authority 
• SLP - Speech Language - Pathologist
• TPNP - Temporary Practical Nurse Permit
• TRNP - Temporary Professional Nurse Permit