State employers highlight urgent needs and legislative priorities to address ongoing healthcare staffing crisis
On Monday, May 19, 2025, the state's four Regional Sector Partnerships convened healthcare leaders and state legislators for a legislative briefing focused on the state’s deepening healthcare workforce crisis. Held at the Executive Dining Hall of the Legislative Office Building, the event brought together employers, advocates, and policymakers to discuss the urgent need for action as the 2025 legislative session nears its close. State Rep. Tammy Nuccio from the 53rd District and State Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey from the 133rd district were in attendance, along with representatives from the CT Office of Health Strategy and the Lamont administration.
The event opened with remarks from Barry Simon, President & CEO of Oak Hill, and Diane Manning, President & CEO of United Services, Inc. Both leaders underscored the importance of investing in the healthcare talent pipeline and supporting the professionals who keep the system running.
"This session cannot end without meaningful steps to protect and invest in the healthcare workforce," said Barry Simon, CEO OakHill and Co-Chair of the Policy Action Team for the Capital Area Healthcare Partnership. "We need to address structural barriers, fund what works, and deliver on the solutions our communities deserve."
The centerpiece of the event was an open forum where employers from across the state shared firsthand accounts of workforce shortages, recruitment barriers, and the toll on patient care. Many emphasized the need for legislative action to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates, fund nonprofit providers, expand training programs, and address social barriers like childcare and transportation.
"Healthcare employers across all four regions are aligned. Let’s ensure the solutions we’ve discussed all session make it across the finish line," said Diane Manning, President / CEO of United Services and Co-Chair of the Eastern Connecticut Healthcare Partnership.
The forum echoed priorities outlined by Connecticut’s four Regional Sector Partnerships (RSPs), which recently issued a joint call for immediate policy action to support the healthcare workforce. With the healthcare sector representing 16% of all jobs in the state—and workforce demands twice the national average—employers stressed that 2025 is a defining moment for legislative leadership.
The event concluded with a call to continue the conversation and commit to solutions that will stabilize and grow Connecticut’s healthcare workforce for the long term.
