Originally Published by Hoodline Raleigh-Durham

Talia Wren, Sept. 12 2025

North Carolina’s NC Caregiving Workforce Strategic Leadership Council met yesterday to review progress and future plans. Launched last year, the council aims to strengthen nursing, direct care, and mental health and substance use workforces amid ongoing shortages.

The council, a partnership between the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and the North Carolina Department of Commerce, highlighted several initiatives. These include expanded academic coaching at community colleges, more Clinical Instructor Partnership programs, and a forthcoming loan forgiveness program for registered nurses working in rural areas.

Session Law 2025-37 broadens career pathways for those with an associate degree in human services. A $20 million loan repayment program seeks to attract mental health providers to underserved counties, and standardized training for peer support professionals will begin in October. In direct care, a National Core Indicators State of the Workforce Survey and free Direct Support Professional training are underway.

The council also discussed priorities such as improved data collection, living wages, retention, and expanded training access. The NC Center on the Workforce for Health, launched last year, is expected to play a key role.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services release, North Carolina may face a shortfall of 12,500 registered nurses and 5,000 licensed practical nurses by 2033. Demand for direct care workers is projected to exceed 200,000 job openings by 2032, and 94 of 100 counties are designated mental health professional shortage areas.