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Bioengineer

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 20, 2025) — In a groundbreaking study conducted by researchers at the University at Albany’s Oral Health Workforce Research Center, a significant public health concern has emerged regarding the oral health services accessed by pregnant women in the United States. Despite the known benefits of oral health care during pregnancy, fewer than 40% of expectant mothers report seeking preventive dental services. This alarming statistic highlights a crucial gap in maternal health and reveals the potential consequences of neglecting oral health during this critical period.

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Medical Xpress

For pregnant women in the U.S., the use of oral health services during pregnancy remains low, with fewer than 40% seeking preventive oral health care. So reports a study conducted by the Oral Health Workforce Research Center, part of the Center for Health Workforce Studies at the University at Albany’s College of Integrated Health Sciences, which was featured on the cover of the Journal of the American Dental Association.

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New York State

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a $4 million expansion of the Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program to include licensed professionals serving children and adolescents at programs licensed or funded by the state. Administered by the state Office of Mental Health (OMH), in partnership with the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), the funding will provide at least 400 awards of up to $30,000 to help mental health professionals serving youth repay education loans and student debt, provided they work a minimum of three years at eligible mental health programs.

…Nationally, rising rates of mental illness and substance use disorder have created heightened demand for psychiatrists and other mental health professionals, a need that is expected to outpace growth of this area of the workforce. Based on findings from the Center for Health Workforce Studies, New York State is projected to have a shortfall of between roughly 1,180 and 2,650 psychiatrists by 2030.

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WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Employers across the state, from small businesses to major hospitals, are telling us the same thing: They need more skilled workers.

Let’s take healthcare, for example, a field where worker shortages remain widespread and have far-reaching consequences for our most vulnerable populations.

In a recent report by the Center for Health Workforce Studies, over 94% of nursing homes reported challenges in recruiting Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) and home health aides in New York. Why? Because there simply aren’t enough trained workers.

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CBS 6 News WRGB Albany

ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) — As nursing shortages and strikes persist, a new report from the U Albany’s Center for Health Workforce Studies raises concerns about whether the current output of registered nurses will meet future demand. The report, which examined the nursing education pipeline in New York State, highlights a decline in registered nurse graduation rates in recent years.

There were slight drops in the number of graduates in 2022, 2023, like maybe 300 give or take,” said Dr. Jean Moore of UAlbany’s Center for Health Workforce Studies. “And we’re like, oh my god, is this a trend? We really don’t know.

The report found that graduation rates decreased from 2021 to 2023, and 42% of study participants reported turning away qualified applicants in 2023. Dr. Moore attributed these issues to difficulties in recruiting faculty and a lack of clinical training sites. “The two things that they talk about a lot are difficulty recruiting faculty,” Moore said. “And also lack of clinical training sites.”

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Crain’s New York Business

Graduation rates among registered nurses declined slightly between 2021 and 2023 even as applications to degree programs ticked upward, according to new data from the Center for Healthcare Workforce Studies at SUNY Albany. The data, collected through surveys with education programs across the state, could portend a rocky road for the effort to restore New York’s decimated nurse workforce.

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Spectrum News 1

For several years now, staffing issues have plagued the health care industry, impacting many upstate facilities. Now, the pool of registered nurses (RNs) in New York state appears to be shrinking, according to a new report highlighting education trends.

The annual report from the University at Albany’s Center for Health Workforce Studies shows about 4% fewer RNs graduating since 2021, as some programs struggled to accommodate applicants.

“It’s very difficult,” said CHWS senior program manager Robert Martiniano. “Chemistry, biology, plus the clinical work, and it’s very demanding work.”

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Daily Nurse

In a bold move to address the pressing challenges facing the nursing workforce, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has announced an exciting new initiative to enhance health outcomes across New York State. The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, the state’s largest grantmaking organization focused on vulnerable communities, is premiering its Nursing Initiative—a groundbreaking grant program designed to support safety net hospitals that provide vital care to high-need populations…

…The Nursing Initiative was established in response to a healthcare workforce report conducted in collaboration with the University at Albany’s Center for Health Workforce Studies. The report revealed a concerning statistic: 15% of registered nurses in hospitals aged 20 to 39 plan to leave their positions within the next year. This underscores the urgent need for solutions to prevent further declines in the nursing workforce. Despite significant investments to address healthcare workforce shortages, New York faces challenges in strengthening its registered nursing workforce.

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 Dental News

NEW YORK: A new bill introduced in New York’s state legislature aims to license dental therapists, a mid-level profession that supporters believe could expand dental care access, lower costs, and reduce waiting times. Dental therapists, often compared to physician assistants in medicine, are trained to perform routine dental procedures like fillings, extractions, and cleanings under the supervision of dentists.

Currently licensed in 14 U.S. states and over 50 countries, dental therapists could serve as a solution to the oral health access gap in New York, where two-thirds of residents live in high-need areas for dental care, according to a study by the Center for Health Workforce Studies. Proponents, such as Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, argue that the measure would address disparities in dental care access for underserved communities, particularly those without dental insurance or on Medicaid.

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Crain’s New York Business

New York nursing homes are chronically understaffed, a shortcoming enabled by pandemic-era workforce challenges and recent mandates that have never been enforced.

New York nursing homes have among the worst performance in meeting set nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in the country, with only 20% of providers meeting or exceeding federally recommended levels, according to a new analysis of federal data…

…New York has lower nurse-to-patient ratios than 44 states and territories according to the LTCCC data. Nursing homes have reported certified nurse aides and registered nurses to be among the most difficult to recruit and retain positions, according to a recent survey from the Center for Healthcare Workforce Studies at SUNY Albany. That is primarily due to workforce shortages and non-competitive salaries, the study found.

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