Indiana, PA – Officials from the Shapiro Administration this week highlighted the Governor’s common-sense, strategic investments in the 2025-26 budget to alleviate ongoing workforce recruitment, retention, and infrastructure issues facing many rural hospitals in Pennsylvania during the first Western Pennsylvania Regional Rural Healthcare Summit.
Hosted by Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen, Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys, Deputy Secretary Kelly Primus from the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, and the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff Lindsey Mauldin also discussed the challenges and opportunities communities face when accessing care.
The summit brought together local leaders, rural health advocates, and health care providers from Indiana, Jefferson, Clarion, and Armstrong Counties to collect feedback, inspire greater collaboration, and develop strategies that address the unique healthcare needs of rural communities. Conversations explored topics like access to maternity care and behavioral health, serving older Pennsylvanians, and how health care functions as both an essential service and a powerful economic engine in rural communities.
“A strong, accessible, affordable health care system is the foundation of any healthy community, and health care is essential to the economic growth, population revitalization, and stabilization of our rural communities. Supporting rural health systems and providers must be at the forefront of our work, and I am grateful for IUP’s leadership which is an inspiring example of collaboration, alignment, and vision that can foster a better future here in the Indiana region and beyond,” said Secretary Arkoosh. “The Shapiro Administration is committed to supporting our rural health care providers to ensure that no matter where people live in the Commonwealth, they benefit from a stable health care presence that not only provides essential care, but also job opportunities and economic growth for their community. It is my hope that the conversations at today’s summit will be a catalyst for even greater partnership and collaboration that will move these goals forward.”
“The Shapiro Administration is committed to working across government, health care, and insurance sectors to address challenges facing rural hospitals and communities across Pennsylvania,” said Secretary Bogen, who has visited a dozen rural hospitals throughout the state. “Workforce recruitment and retention are two significant obstacles affecting rural health care. Governor Shapiro’s budget proposal offers recruitment and retention incentives to support additional health care professionals, including behavioral health providers and health professionals to work in rural hospitals and communities. These hospitals need our support, which is exactly what the Governor’s proposed budget provides.”
“Access to quality health care should never depend on your zip code. PID is committed to ensuring that Pennsylvanians in rural communities have the same protection, resources, and opportunities when it comes to health coverage,” said Commissioner Humphreys. “Our focus remains on breaking down the barriers that stand between rural Pennsylvanians and the care they deserve.”
The 2024-25 bipartisan budget included $10 million in state funds, which allowed Pennsylvania to leverage further federal funding, to contribute nearly $37 million to support hospitals operating in rural communities.
In an effort to support Pennsylvania’s rural health care providers, Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal makes common-sense, strategic investments including:
- $10 million for rural hospitals to leverage an additional $25.1 million in federal matching funds, bringing total support to $35.1 million. This builds off work started with the 2024-25 budget that invested a total of $36.7 million in state and federal funding to support hospitals in rural communities.
- An additional $10 million to invest in health care facilities statewide, through the Department of Human Services, to assist the Commonwealth in responding to urgent consumer health needs and staffing requirements. This investment will also leverage an additional $25.1 million in federal matching funds, bringing total support to $35.1 million.
- $10 million to expand behavioral health loan repayment programs, ensuring providers are available statewide – including in rural communities – to meet the growing demand for mental health care and address a critical workforce shortage.
- $5 million to expand the Primary Care Loan Repayment Program offering loan repayment for health care providers that serve in rural communities.
- $20 million in a new dedicated appropriation to healthcare facilities for patient safety and quality improvement initiatives that reduce barriers to care like affordability and transportation and improve reliable access to needed providers.
- $5 million to educate, train, and recruit nursing professionals through tuition support, ensuring a steady pipeline of highly trained professionals.
- Enhancing postpartum depression screening and intervention efforts to ensure timely and equitable access to maternal and mental health care for mothers.
- Encouraging legislation to grant full practice authority to nurse practitioners who have worked under a physician for three years, increasing access to care in underserved communities.
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